The people of Ahuriri can feel a little safer thanks to the Rotary Club of Ahuriri Sunrise’s donation of a new defibrillator to their community. The lightweight, portable device is located in the foyer of Ahuriri’s East Pier Hotel and can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Article written by Linda Paterson, Public Image Director, Rotary Club of Ahuriri Sunrise

The club’s project director, John Pickering, says that the machine will add to the number of AEDs (Autonomous External Defibrillators) in the Ahuriri area, many of which are only available during business hours. “We wanted to provide security to people who enjoy spending time on the walkway, on the beach and in the sea who are often there in the evenings or on weekends,” Mr Pickering said.

“Every year more than 2,000 New Zealanders are treated for Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) somewhere in the community away from hospital, and fewer than 15% survive. Without CPR and heart defibrillation, for every minute that passes the AED (Autonomous External Defibrillator) chance of survival decreases by 10%. The good news is that by using a defibrillator, you can increase someone’s survival chances by up to 44 percent. Early defibrillation, along with CPR, is the only way to restore the victim’s heart rhythm”, he added.

The cost of the project, including cabinet, was $2,700.00 which was funded by the Club and partly paid for by a grant from the Rotary Foundation District 9930 Grants Committee. It was supplied with technical support from St John Ambulance. The defibrillator uses simple voice instructions so that anyone can use them safely and effectively.

“We are also encouraging people to download the AED App on their phone which shows where defibrillators are located around the community,” Mr Pickering said.

Rotary Club of Ahuriri Sunrise’s president, Graeme Dickey said the club felt that this gift was seen as a worthy contribution to both East Pier and Ahuriri. “Having an AED in your workplace or community can make the difference between life and death,” he said.