They’re the extra eyes for police and can now restore heartbeat on the beat. Motueka Community Patrol monitors Mārahau to Māpua at least twice a week and has added a piece of equipment to its patrol vehicle to shock members of the public back to life should they encounter those experiencing cardiac arrest, particularly in remote areas.
Patrol leader Byron Le Vavasour says its automated external defibrillator (AED) was secured thanks to a good-hearted $1500 Tasman District Council community grant and a $700 pulse from the Motueka Community Board.
“When we did our last 3 Steps for Life with St John a couple of years ago, that’s when they stated the fact that we should have one in our car for the reason where we go and what we do, because we could get caught out,” he says.
“The benefits will be saving your life. We haven’t had a case, but we could be anywhere and there’s [no AED available], and those first few minutes all add up, and it’s life or death.
“We’re lining up another 3 Steps for Life here for the 14 patrol members now that we’ve got the AED.”
Byron said another perk of the patrol’s mobile AED was additional safety to night owls because not every other AED stationed permanently in their patrol zones is available at night, with businesses shut.
He says the organisation is also on the lookout for two more volunteers so it can operate weekly daytime patrols.
Contact: motueka@cpnz.org.nz to find out more.
