Defibrillator workshop
The Onekaka community has its own defibrillator. Based at the Mussel Inn, the potentially life-saving equipment will be available to the community 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Some of the money for the defibrillator was raised through the raffle of a Neil Baker carved head. The winner of the raffle was Gail Redington, an Onekaka local who generously decided that the head should be stored at the Mussel Inn for everyone to enjoy.
“Everyone really appreciates Gail’s kind gesture,” said Mussel Inn co-owner Jane Dixon.
The St John’s website explains how important a defibrillator can be: Each year over 1000 people in New Zealand will suffer a cardiac arrest outside of hospital. Many of these people have no warning since they show no prior symptoms and sadly fewer than 5 to 8 per cent survive unless they get immediate treatment. A defibrillator applies a short powerful electric shock to the heart allowing the heart to regain its natural rhythm and so enhances the victim’s chance of survival. Having a defibrillator on the spot and able to be used can increase the chance of survival by up to 40 per cent when dealing with a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA).
This does not reduce the importance of the public learning cardio pulmonary resucitation (CPR).
Members of the public are invited to learn how to use the defibrillator at a basic (non-certified) St John course to be held at the Mussel Inn this weekend, on Sunday 4 December from 1.30pm until about 4pm. People intending to go to the course need to let the Mussel Inn know by ringing 525 9241.
Submitted
