Durie Hill School in Whanganui celebrates AED new lifesaving device

Father John Roberts of Whanganui St John, central districts youth manager Marlene Rankin, principal Geoff Simes and St John educator Justin Lowcay celebrate the new AED with children at Durie Hill School. Photo / Bevan Conley

A Whanganui neighbourhood now has access to a lifesaving automated external defibrillator (AED), thanks to the efforts of children at Durie Hill School.

After students completed the Stay Safe September campaign with a St John in Schools educator, Durie Hill School was entered in a draw to win an AED and was selected as the winner. St John partnered with ACC to present the campaign to schools in the area.

The lifesaving device and a weatherproof box to house it was presented by a team from the ASB St John in Schools programme on Tuesday.

About 240 children at Durie Hill School completed the lessons which focused on preventing and reducing preventable injuries in New Zealand, including falls, burns, poisoning and drowning which are the four most common dangers to children.

Durie Hill School principal Geoff Simes said the AED will be available for the whole community in the event of an emergency.

"Each of our classes has not long completed St John first aid sessions, which our students enjoyed and really responded well to," Simes said.

"It was the icing on the cake to hear that our school had won an AED, and we look forward to having this accessible for our school, for our Durie Hill community and for the general public."

Simes introduced Pip Grant from Whanganui St John and told the children that she cares for people in the area who have medical alarms.

"Some of your grandparents may have St John medical alarms," he said.

"My mother has one that she used when she had a medical emergency and it helped save her life."

St John central districts youth manager Marlene Rankin said the organisation is working hard to install AEDs in public locations across New Zealand, including schools, marae, sports grounds and businesses, to help improve cardiac arrest survival rates.

Rankin said studies by St John have revealed that every minute that goes by without CPR or defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by 10 to 15 per cent, with only about 15 per cent surviving a cardiac arrest.

"Having an AED at Durie Hill School will help keep everyone in your community safer," she said.

Simes said school staff were to have lessons in using the AED when children went home for the day and the device would be mounted near the gate where it can be easily accessed.

The ASB St John in Schools programme has delivered lessons to more than 9000 primary school pupils nationally. Schools interested in the programme can contact St John online at stjohn.org.nz/schools.