Defibrillation help is now at hand at the northern end of Tinwald with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) installed at the entrance of Terrace View Retirement Village.
An AED can increase someone’s chance of survival by up to 80 per cent if applied immediately and the latest one installed at the village on Carters Tce is for public use in an emergency.
Village resident Jo Pratt, who set about fundraising to purchase an AED, said it was a major relief to have it installed.
Jo raised the majority of the $6000 cost through door knocking and through a public appeal in The Ashburton Courier.
It was timely that New Zealand Red Cross just so happened to be looking for a suitable location to install an AED.
Jo teamed up with the organisation and their partnership enabled an upgraded version of the machine to be sourced.
‘‘They are going to provide training for us, sponsors and near neighbours on how the machine works,” Jo said.
The unit costing about $6000 is on the outside wall of the village’s main entrance.
New Zealand Red Cross co-ordination and planning lead Canterbury Carol Ball said they were pleased to be able to assist with funding the community AED.
“The funding came from a bequest made to the Ashburton branch many years ago, as the Ashburton branch has now closed this is administered by the Canterbury Area Council,” Ball said.
“Providing equipment and training in a community fulfills part of our mission statement to ‘enhance community resilience’, whether it be an AED, Good and Ready training or a Save a Life first aid course,” she said.
With the installation of the machine in Tinwald, there are now three AED machines available to the public 24/7 in the area.
The other two are at the Tinwald Memorial Hall, Graham St and the Tinwald Rugby Club, Maronan Rd.
There will be ongoing cost to keep the machine working including updating the battery and paddles as needed.
If anyone would like to support the project donations can be left at Terrace View Retirement Village reception.
– Find an AED location at aedlocations.co.nz/
