Keeping Active, Keeping SAFE

The need for support

The outback Queensland town of Goondiwindi has hosted the iconic annual Hell of the West triathlon, now known as the Festival of Hell, for more than 30 years.

The popular event, which takes place in the hellish heat of February, has developed a national profile and hosted some of the greatest triathletes in the world, to the advantage of the Goondiwindi community.

The Goondiwindi Triathlon Club takes every measure to ensure the safety of athletes, starting the swim in the Macintyre River at first light before the heat of the day and having paramedics and first aid qualified volunteers on-site.

Unfortunately, one young man collapsed at the end of his triathlon despite ambulance services of standby, he did not survive.

Supporting communities in times of crisis

Local doctor and Goondiwindi Triathlon Club member Anna Carswell successfully applied for funding for an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) after finding out about gratns from Rural Doctors Foundation.

Acquiring an AED through this funding has been a major advantage for the entire town. The AED is easily portable and has been placed in a central location for users of the local pool, tennis courts and park to access if required.

The Goondiwindi Triathlon Club has educated its members, several of whom are nurses, doctors and allied health professionals, that the AED is available for them to use. Beyond this, it has been designed to be used by members of the public with no medical experience.

Life saving outcomes

Knowing a defibrillator is available, should it be required, provides invaluable comfort to the Goondiwindi Triathlon Club and the community it actively serves.

As well as being available for the wider community to use, the AED is there for the triathlon club to use during summer training, during mini triathlons at the pool and, of course, during Hell of the West.

Through providing funding for this AED, Rural Doctors Foundation has addressed a significant gap for the people of Goondiwindi, who rely heavily on funding and sponsorship to run the triathlon club and the Festival of Hell.

Such impact is possible thanks to those who generously support the work of Rural Doctors Foundation.