Lifesaving move in Pirongia sees AED donated to Four Square

Market organisers from left: Jenny Bradley, Jane Tubb and Anne Kingscott with Four Square supervisor Karen Derbyshire and owner Satish Parmar. Photo / Bethany Rolston

Thanks to efforts from the local community, the Pirongia Four Square now has a device to resuscitate victims of cardiac arrest.

For the last year, organisers of the village's monthly market have been raising funds to purchase an automated external defibrillator (AED).

They have used money from stallholders fees to buy the AED, which costs around $3000.

Pirongia Four Square owner Satish Parmar says the store is a prime location for the device.

"We get a lot of people through our doors, and we are right in the heart of the village."

The AED is mounted inside the shop and is available for community use during the store's opening hours from 7.30am to 7pm, seven days a week.

The device is simple to use as it gives spoken instructions, telling the user what to do and in which order.

According to Heart Saver NZ, five New Zealanders suffer sudden cardiac arrest every day.

Patients who are defibrillated within the first three to five minutes of cardiac arrest have the greatest chance of surviving.

The AED is now one of four in Pirongia. The others are at Pirongia School, the Pirongia Fire Station and the Pirongia Bowling Club.

In Te Awamutu and surrounding areas there are about 30 AEDs, including at Te Awamutu RSA, McDonald's and Te Awamutu Ambulance Station.

View your nearest AED location by downloading the AED Locations app or visiting www.aedlocations.co.nz.

The next Pirongia Monthly Market is at the Pirongia Community Centre, Crozier St, on Sunday, August 25 from 9am to 2pm.