Lions Club buys two life-saving defibrillators for Hikurangi

Astra Sanders, from Miners Rest Cafe, Hikurangi Lions Club member Kelly Jelavich, St John officer Janice Fallon and Neil Crowther from Friendship House with one of two defibrillators the club donated.

The chances of surviving a heart attack in Hikurangi have increased after two life-saving defibrillators were donated to the community.

The Hikurangi Lions Club has bought two defibrillators for the township, with one going on the Hikurangi Golf Course and the other outside the Miners Rest Cafe.

Lions Club spokesman Colin Twyman said if someone is suffering a heart attack the first few minutes are vital to survival and the defibrillator can be used by anyone to give that vital first response.

Twyman said the Lions Club works with the golf club and it was mentioned by a golf club member that there were no defibrillators in the township. So the Lions Club decided to do something about it and did some fundraising.

''Golf club member [and] St John medic Janice Fallon advised that there was no defibrillator available to the public between Kawakawa and Whangārei, thus the club decided to fund the extra unit and install it in the Hikurangi Village. In association with the golf club the Lions annual golf tournament would be used as a fundraiser to purchase the second unit,'' he said.

The defibrillator in the township itself is available to anybody and it's kept in a box outside the cafe. To use it people will need to ring 111 and the operator will give the code to unlock the box.

''The units are almost foolproof in that once opened they [111 operator] will talk them through what to do including letting you know, if in fact it is required, checking the patient before activating. Having a unit close and knowing where to access one can be literally life or death. Most units available to the public are listed on a website/phone app throughout the country as do these units.''

Friendship House spokesman Neil Crowther said it was terrific for the township to have the defibrillator on hand if needed.

''It's absolutely huge for Hikurangi and we are just very, very grateful to the Lions Club for supplying it.

''It gives great peace of mind knowing it's there. If it's needed to be used it's great to have it there.''

He said a training evening had been organised for 6.30pm on October 4, at the community hall, where St John members would teach people first aid, CPR and how to use the defibrillator.

The evening was open to anybody, not just Hikurangi residents.