Bull inspires installation of more public AEDs in Mount Magnet

Mount Magnet’s IGA supermarket has received a community funded 24/7 accessible Automated External Defibrillator (AED) after one of its workers suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at the start of the year.

Mount Magnet legend, known as Bull, is a regular fixture around the Mid West regional town doing IGA deliveries and thanks to the quick actions of the St John team he was able to return to the job three weeks later.

One of SJWA’s local Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) Kristine was packing up her car with shopping on New Year’s Eve when an IGA worker ran out to get her help after Bull fell down unconscious and unresponsive.

Bull had no pulse and was not breathing, so Kristine immediately began CPR, while local bystanders called Triple Zero (000) to request more help.

Community Paramedic Alan and the team – EMTs Emma and Nicole – arrived a short time later and worked for 12 minutes on Bull when they were able to achieve a pulse (ROSC).

Bull was taken to the local nursing post, from which he was flown to a Perth hospital.

Sadly, only one in 10 survive cardiac arrest, but Bull was lucky to have so many helpful hands nearby who were able to do chest compressions and keep his heart beating until the ambulance arrived.

Every minute which passes without CPR the chance of survival drops by 10 per cent, and adding a shock from a community AED can almost triple survivability.

CWA Kirkalocka has since funded an AED at the IGA and it has been registered on the State Defibrillator Network to help others increase their chance of survival, with another two 24/7 AEDs being installed around town.

The State Defibrillator Network is a free service which aims to get defibrillators to cardiac arrest victims in the vital minutes before an ambulance arrives. Locations of the registered defibrillators are also listed here and on the St John First Responder app.

“We’re so proud of St John WA’s Mount Magnet team and grateful to the CWA Kirkalocka for helping build a strong and more resilient response to sudden cardiac arrest in the Mid West,” said SJWA Community First Responder Lead Caitlyn Pavey-Smith.

Volunteer here: https://stjohnwa.com.au/changelives/volunteer

First Responder App: https://stjohnwa.com.au/online-resources/st-john-first-responder-app