A lucky break for a truck driver who had a heart attack outside Te Mata School has led to three new defibrillators being donated to Te Mata, Te Uku and Waitetuna.
Thankfully, one of the first responders to the incident was a local resident who had recently updated her first aid certificate and the second to arrive at the scene was a Meridian Energy employee with a portable defibrillator in his company vehicle.
The pair were able to save the truck driver’s life while waiting for an ambulance and the Westpac Helicopter to arrive. Without this timely assistance and life-saving equipment, this incident may have had a different ending.
It was this incident that led the Raglan Community Charitable Trust to purchase the portable Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) located at Te Mata, Te Uku and Waitetuna schools.
Raglan Community Charitable Trust chairman Peter Storey says it was an easy funding decision for the trust (formerly the Raglan Hospital Trust).
“It was a no brainer to fund this life saving equipment. The local schools have agreed to locate the AEDs on school grounds and they will be in specialised cabinets for easy access. The AEDs are easy to use, you just turn them on and follow the instructions.”
The location of the community AEDs will be shared on a free AED app that can easily be downloaded to a smartphone.
“The app is really easy to use, just type in a location and it will show you where all the AEDs are located in that area,” Peter says.
In addition to the three new defibrillator sites there are eight located in Raglan at Camp Raglan, 578 Wainui Road, Raglan Surf Life Saving Club, Ngarunui Beach Rd, Raglan Kopua Holiday Park – Office/Barrier Arm, 61 Marine Parade, St John Ambulance Raglan, 11 Wainui Rd, Raglan Police, 3 Wi Neera St, Raglan Club Inc – By bar above fire hose cabinet, 22 Bow Street, Raglan West Coast Health Centre, 12 Wallis St and Raglan Coastguard – Gallagher Base, Raglan Wharf, 100 Wallis St.
Janine Jackson
