Free CPR training helps save lives in Waikanae

Free CPR training helps save lives in Waikanae

Waikanae residents will soon be better equipped to save lives, thanks to Wellington Free Ambulance and the Waikanae Volunteer Fire Brigade.

Over the next few weeks, residents can attend free CPR and AED (automated external defibrillator) training, which Wellington Free Ambulance paramedic Sarah Sundgren says will be hugely beneficial for the community.

“Many people know the basics, but don’t have a lot of confidence when it comes to giving CPR,” says Ms Sundgren, who organised the training with local volunteer firefighter Susie Mills.

“It’s always better to do something than nothing, and moving fast is key. The sooner you act, the better your chance of saving a life - every second counts.”

As well as receiving training, Waikanae residents will soon have two additional AEDs installed in busy public areas, taking the total number to four.

AEDs are machines that send an electric shock to the heart, restoring the normal heart rhythm of a person in cardiac arrest.

The four AEDs, together costing almost $16,000 to purchase and install, are funded by the Waikanae Freemasons, Waikanae Charter Club, and the BEA Trust.

“We’re delighted to have these two new defibrillators – now we want people to know about them and use them,” Ms Sundgren says.

“If we can save one life, then that’s a really great thing.”

The AEDs are located at the Waikanae Charter Club on Elizabeth Street, and the restrooms on Tutere Street opposite The Front Room Café. Two more will be installed in Mahara Place and Ngarara Road.

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