The housing of life-saving defibrillators at Hunter sports grounds could be a step closer after a Port Stephens sports council moved to facilitate their placement at communal facilities.
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The West Ward sports council of Port Stephens met on Monday and a proposal was made for the purchase and placement of six units at facilities in their region.
A timely meeting, their decision comes after a 52-year-old cricket player suffered a heart attack on Saturday at Lakeside Sports Complex in Raymond Terrace.
The Hinton Cricket Club player, Robert Mathew, collapsed midway through his side’s match against Seaham Cricket Club.
The Herald revealed on Thursday how the match was moved from Seaham to Lakeside because of a double booking at Seaham’s home ground. The ground change was said to be pivotal in saving the man’s life as a lifeguard from the nearby Lakeside Leisure Centre used the pool’s defibrillator before paramedics arrived and used their own.
Mr Mathew has been in an induced coma at John Hunter Hospital since the attack, but his condition was said to be showing further improvements on Thursday afternoon after he continued to respond to commands from hospital staff.
The catalyst was what happened on the weekend for me.
- Malcolm Muller, West Ward sports council vice-president
“The catalyst was what happened on the weekend for me,” said Malcolm Muddle, West Ward sports council vice-president. “We spoke about it and we just want immediate action.”
The sports council meets quarterly and is represented by a variety of sports. They collect money from user and facility hire fees across represented sports and usually fund extra-ordinary projects which individual clubs or associations apply for.
As a body representing virtually all sports in the district, they want Port Stephens Council to fund the units.
Councillor Giacomo Arnott attended the meeting on Monday and will table a motion to be voted on at the next Port Stephens Council meeting on February 27. Cr Arnott will ask Port Stephens Council to fund defibrillators across all three wards, not just the West Ward he represents, in a 50/50 split with the respective sports councils.
“The motion will be, after consultation with council staff identified 12 sports complex’s across Port Stephens, six in West Ward, two in Central Ward and four in East Ward,” Cr Arnott said.
“It’s a common sense move to do this, I hope we can get this moving as soon as possible to make sure if any situations arise in the future, our sportspeople are well-placed to assist their friends and fellow players if they need to.”
Defibrillator units cost around $2500, but the West Ward sports council have indicated they would be willing to go into a 50/50 split to see them installed.
