World Restart a Heart Day: How CPR and defibrillators save lives

Zumba instructor Tina Neville and resuscitation coordinator Jayne Conning. Photo / George Novak

Ross Parker had just finished his first heat in a national surf lifesaving competition.

He came out of the water after "a tough old race", approached his local surf club's tent and that's the last thing he remembers.

Parker's heart had "just stopped".

The 53-year-old Mount Maunganui resident was competing in Gisborne last year when he had a cardiac arrest.

Several doctors, lifeguards and a nurse at the scene kept him going with CPR until they found a defibrillator.

Parker said he fell over and was out for nine to 11 minutes before his heart was "fully restarted" with a defibrillator.

"Without it, I'd be dead."

Mount Maunganui resident Ross Parker suffered a cardiac arrest in March last year. He was saved by CPR and a defibrillator. Photo / Supplied

The incident prompted his friend Tina Neville to raise money for her own defibrillator.

"It just got me thinking that I teach many Zumba classes all over Tauranga in lots of different venues that don't have AEDs [automated external defibrillators] on-site," the instructor said.

Neville first started fundraising through her classes, and on her birthday this year, she told people she would prefer money for a defibrillator instead of gifts. This got her over the line to buy one at a cost of about $3000.

She planned to register it on the national database so if she was close to a patient in need, she would be contacted if the ambulance could not get there in time.

"Fingers crossed I never have to use it but it's amazing to know that it is there."

Neville encouraged owners of defibrillators to register on the GoodSAM website so people were aware of their locations in the community.

She also encouraged people to find out where the closest one was "just so in an emergency you know where one is".

Zumba instructor Tina Neville and resuscitation co-ordinator Jayne Conning. Photo / George Novak

Part of Bay of Plenty District Health Board resuscitation co-ordinator Jayne Conning's job is teaching all Tauranga Hospital staff "basic life support".

"I have nursed many, many people who have been saved by defibrillators and people doing basic life support in the community.

"They may have broken ribs, but they've survived because people have been there at the scene and have known what to do and have kept them alive until the emergency services can come.

"I know that it works because I've seen it over and over again."

She said defibrillators in the community were there because people bought them off their own bat.

"That's how it's decided.

"An individual such as Tina might see a need for it and they'll buy their own individual one and that's how they end up in the community. It's all a bit random," she said.

"Ideally we'd have them at all community halls and anywhere that people gather but it does depend on people being aware that they exist and then having that desire to go out and buy them and learn how to use them."

Conning said the app AED locations showed where the closest AED was.

Parker spoke to the Bay of Plenty Times about his experience ahead of World Restart a Heart day on Saturday.

Restart a Heart Day promotes the importance of bystander CPR when it comes to saving lives and reminding people AEDs are around.

Conning said without AEDs some people may not survive.

"We know that they work and that we can get people living their lives again."