Shocking plea to Kiwis
Only one in 10 New Zealanders survive cardiac arrest, a statistic that emergency services say can be dramatically improved with bystander CPR and a shock from an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).
St John medical director Dr Tony Smith says St John released a video marking Restart a Heart Day last week to educate the public on CPR and AEDs to improve New Zealanders’ chances of surviving cardiac arrest.
“Early intervention with CPR combined with defibrillation can more than double someone’s chances of surviving a cardiac arrest. By increasing the numbers of trained members of the public and access to AEDs we can better the odds for the more than 2000 Kiwis who suffer from a cardiac arrest each year.
“As well as brushing up on your CPR know-how, the theme of this year’s Restart a Heart Day encourages people to know where their nearest AEDs are located. We encourage schools, workplaces and partners to participate in Restart a Heart Day by visiting Restart-AHeart and making a plan to save a life.”
St John also wants New Zealanders to take part in the AED awareness social media campaign by submitting photos of public access AEDs to social media alongside the hashtag #RestartAHeart. AEDs can be found at all ASB and Z Energy locations.
Dr Smith says finding your nearest AED is made easy by becoming a CPR trained and registered GoodSAM responder.
“Anyone over 18 who knows how to perform CPR can visit our page stjohn.org.nz/goodSAM to register and download the GoodSAM Responder App, so that they can be alerted that a person nearby is in cardiac arrest and needs help.
“If you accept a call for help, you are immediately shown a map of where the patient is and where the nearby AEDs are located. Since launching in April 2018, over 4000 Kiwis have signed up, and we’ve already seen lives saved as a result,” Dr Smith says.
AEDs available in CHB: A W Parsons Pool Bishop Dental
Carters Waipukurau Caltex Waipukurau Police Station Central Lines Waipukurau Ambulance Station
Fire Station
Tuki Tuki Medical
Mr Apple Pack House CHB District Council