Tonight I attended the final Heatherdale Community Action Group meeting for 2007. Tonight’s meeting provided an opportunity to reflect on the amenity issues being experienced along Heatherdale Road and council’s response, such as two successful prosecutions against Southern Rocycling, to try and improve this situation.

While the primary focus of the Heatherdale Community Action Group is the amenity of Heatherdale, a locality which is divided between the Cities of Maroondah and Whitehorse, speakers are regularly invited to provide to discuss issues of interest to the membership.

Tonight’s meeting included a presentation from St. John Ambulance who discussed the role of the not-for-profit organisation and the steps involved in delivering first aid. The speaker presented the DR ABC action plan, which involves the following steps:

• Danger – checking for danger to yourself and others
• Respond – is the person responsive?
• Airway – clearing the airway
• Breathing – look for signs that the person is breathing
• Circulation – check breathing and pulse to determine if resuscitation is required

The discussion with St. John Ambulance, was one of the many presentations delivered over the course of the year at the meetings. Meetings for the Heatherdale Community Action Group will resume in February 2008.