Community
26 June, 2026
Portable defib for Rotary trailer
WARRNAMBOOL Daybreak Rotary Club will soon add a mobile defibrillator to its community event equipment.
The equipment is all thanks to sponsorship from Women’s Health and Wellbeing Barwon South West (WHWBSW).
The portable defibrillator will be mounted on the club’s event trailer, which is regularly used at public and community events including the popular summer markets at Lake Pertobe.
Warrnambool Daybreak Rotary Club president Ian Harper said the equipment would provide an important community asset at events where large numbers of people gather.
“Having a defibrillator readily available at community events can make a critical difference in a medical emergency,” he said.
“We’re grateful to the women’s health and wellbeing branch for recognising the value of increasing access to this lifesaving equipment within our community.”
Women’s Health and Wellbeing Barwon South West acknowledged the practical value of the device and valued the opportunity it offers to raise awareness about the differences in bystander responses, depending on the gender of the person experiencing cardiac arrest.
“Every minute matters when someone experiences a cardiac arrest. Increasing the availability of defibrillators is important, but we also need to address the barriers that prevent people from acting when a woman needs emergency assistance,” spokesperson Ms Hill said.
Research from the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute and Ambulance Victoria found that women experiencing cardiac arrest are significantly less likely to receive defibrillation by bystanders than men.
In Victoria, women are 3.6 times less likely than men to receive bystander defibrillation, according to data from the Victorian Women’s Health Atlas.
Studies show that this disparity can be due to concerns about inappropriate contact; hesitation to expose a woman’s chest; fears of causing injury; and a lack of awareness of cardiac arrest symptoms in women.
Cardiac arrest symptoms in women include chest pain, shortness of breath, discomfort in the jaw, neck, arm, shoulder or back, dizziness, indigestion, nausea or vomiting, tiredness and a cold sweat.
Ms Hill said improving access to defibrillators must go hand-in-hand with community education and confidence-building.
“Cardiac arrest is not a men’s issue or a women’s issue, it’s a community issue,” Ms Hill said.
“By increasing awareness and equipping people with both the knowledge and confidence to safely use defibrillators, we can help ensure everyone has an equal chance of survival.”
The Rotary Club of Warrnambool Daybreak and WHWBSW hope the initiative will not only improve emergency preparedness at community events, but also spark important conversations about equitable access to lifesaving interventions.
