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LJ Hooker offices on the NSW South Coast are on a mission to save lives — and they have one of Australia’s legendary ironmen by their side in this worthy crusade.
The group’s offices in Nowra, Vincentia, Sanctuary Point, Sussex Inlet, Ulladulla, Batemans Bay, Malua Bay, Tuross Head, Moruya and Narooma have each been equipped with a lifesaving defibrillator, at a cost of approximately $1,500 each, that aims to save any person suffering sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), according to the national network.
It follows the installation of defibrillators at the LJ Hooker offices at Palm Beach, Avalon and Mona Vale.
LJ Hooker also revealed that delivery of the lifesaving machines to the South Coast offices was done personally by former Coolangatta Gold champion Guy Leech, who is also the founder of the Heart180.
Mr Leech’s organisation’s main goal is to have defibrillators located within 180 seconds of anyone who suffers from SCA, which affects around 30,000 Australians each year.
Medical research has found that if a defibrillator can be placed on a patient within three minutes, their chances of survival increase to over 70 percent.
According to the renowned triathlon athlete, the organisation was established in 2016 following the shock death of a good friend from a heart attack.
He also shared grim statistics showing that just 6 per cent of people survive an episode of SCA because a defibrillator was not promptly accessible.
“We have saved over 30 lives since we have started — and some of those survivors have also come on board and become involved with what we are doing in getting the defibrillators out there,” he said.
Mr Leech lauded LJ Hooker’s initiative in the fight against the life-threatening ailment. “Usually businesses come on board because something has happened in the office with someone having a heart incident and they realise there is a need for a defibrillator — but LJ Hooker has taken a very proactive approach,” he said.
Aside from equipping the NSW South Coast offices with defibrillators, agents and staff will be trained in CPR as well as using the lifesaving device so they are well-equipped to step in during an emergency.
Additionally, agents will take the medical equipment to onsite auctions as a precaution, according to LJ Hooker.
In another strategic move to increase awareness about the life-threatening disease, an app is also expected to launch next year that will alert the public on where to access their closest defibrillator.
LJ Hooker network performance manager Angela Avgerinos has expressed her optimism that other agencies across NSW will follow the lead of the South Coast region.
“We would like our offices to offer something back to their communities and being able to access a defibrillator is important,” she said.
Mr Leech shared the same optimistic sentiment and said he is hopeful other real estate networks will follow LJ Hooker’s proactive approach and get involved in helping to save lives lost to cardiac events.
“It is a great example of a company [that] is getting on the front foot and doing something about it. You don’t want to have someone have a heart incident and think, ‘you know we could have done better’,” he stated.
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