General News
4 February, 2026
Medical kits to save lives
THREE local communities often cut off by cyclones and flooding have been granted life-saving defibrillators and high-end first aid kits.
The Bendigo Bank at Babinda has handed over the essential medical equipment and supplies to communities in Russell Heads, East Russell and Bramston Beach.
“In times of emergency, the residents of Bramston Beach, Russell Heads and East Russell will now have access to the new life-saving medical equipment while they wait for emergency services,” a bank spokesman said.
Russell Heads Progress Association said it was delighted to have received two defibrillators and kits.
Both have already been installed on two homes at the secluded settlement, which has just 50 houses but is only accessible by boat, even when there isn’t a cyclone or flooding.
“It is with great excitement that we inform Russell Heads residents and visitors that the association has received two defibrillators including protective wall cabinets (for outdoor accessibility) and first aid kits from the Babinda Community Bank aka Babinda Bendigo Bank,” the progress association said in a thank you post on its Facebook page.
“This life saving equipment is so important to our remote community and we can’t thank the bank board enough,” it added.
“Let’s hope we never have to use them, but they are there if we do.”
Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are designed for sudden cardiac arrest, automatically detecting life-threatening rhythms and delivering a shock only if needed.
They are applied immediately after calling emergency services.
