The Rugby World Cup is long over, but the benefits will be felt for years to come in Whangarei after a life-saving defibrillator was gifted to the district.
Before the RWC started in September, Philips Healthcare donated 20 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to each of the Rugby World Cup teams.The devices have been passed on to the St John Ambulance Service to give back to local communities in New Zealand.
Yesterday Northland ambulance manager Tony Devaney and Whangarei Mayor Morris Cutforth received one of the AEDs at The Hub, at Whangarei's Town Basin, where it will be kept in case of emergencies.
Mr Cutforth said the AED was a great gift and the Town Basin was the ideal place to keep it. "We painted the town red in honour of Japan, Tonga and Canada's flags [for the RWC], but red is a colour strongly associated with the heart and circulatory system too, so that's a nice connection. The tournament was a great success for our district and the entire country, so a gift like this after the event is just a lovely bonus," he said.
"Holding the defibrillator at the heart of our city, the Town Basin, is also a sensible option because of the amount of foot traffic passing through there every day."
St John clinical director Dr Tony Smith said AEDs were life-saving pieces of equipment - they delivered a short electric shock to the heart, allowing the organ to regain its natural rhythm after someone suffered cardiac arrest (heart attack).
"We are donating them to the communities that hosted teams. In Whangarei's case the district hosted the Tongan, Canadian and Japanese teams," Dr Smith said.
He said having an AED available could increase the chance of a person's survival by up to 40 per cent.
"The AED will become a true community asset. Whangarei District Council staff will be trained in its use and they will make sure the AED is maintained for the community. We encourage members of the community to learn cardio-pulmonary resuscitation [CPR] and learn to use an AED. It's easy and you could save someone's life. Heroes aren't born, they are trained," he said.
