Life-saving defibrillators being installed at community hubs

Hato Hone St John emergency medical technician Josh Kluts

Post Cyclone-Gabrielle, a project to establish community emergency hubs in rural areas has been progressing well, the latest initiative being the rollout of defibrillators to up to 30 hubs across the district.

A number of rural communities were cut off by Cyclone Gabrielle in February last year, and more than $2m received in external funding has been used to supply equipment for Civil Defence Centres, the purchase of two mobile welfare trailers, and to support the rollout of 30 community emergency hubs in Hastings district.

During Cyclone Gabrielle rural communities stood up their own community hubs, and in the wake of the event hub leaders expressed the need to continue to build on the current community hubs, particularly in rural communities more likely to become isolated.

With funding received from New Zealand Red Cross and the Ministry for Primary Industries North Island Weather Event Fund, hubs are being established to increase community resilience, equipped with the likes of additional clean safe water storage and upgraded switch boards to allow for generators to be easily used.

All the hubs, which could range from community halls to marae, are also being provided with new publicly accessible defibrillators, first aid supplies and new radios that connect directly with Civil Defence to support communications during an emergency.

Hato Hone St John emergency medical technician Josh Kluts said working with Hastings District Council the defibrillators were now being installed.

“Community defibrillators improve heart attack survival by over 35 per cent. I recommend all members of the community find the location of their nearest public defibrillator, but it’s always important in an emergency to call 111.”

The community emergency hub project has been adopted regionally and ongoing training will be supported by Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management (HBCDEM).

12 March 2024

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