A grateful Dunedin Management Venues Ltd chief executive
David Davies (left) checks two donated external defibrillators
(AED) as Dunedin cardiologist Associate Prof Gerard Wilkins
explains how they work.
AEDs can restart a person's heart after cardiac arrest and
require no medical training to use.
Prompted by a letter in last Friday's Otago Daily
Times taking issue with the fact the Forsyth Barr Stadium
had no AEDs of its own, Prof Wilkins organised the donation
of two left over from research at the University of Otago.
The international research, of which Otago was part, looked
at whether there was a need for individuals to own AEDs.
Researchers concluded it was best for them to be stationed in
public places, making the stadium donation fitting.
"The largest place in Dunedin where there will be people
getting excited will be the stadium," Prof Wilkins said.
The devices were fully automated and instructed people what
to do, including whether to apply a shock.
Mr Davies said the AEDs were unlikely to be in action during
the Rugby World Cup because St John would attend with its
own. They could be most useful for events the emergency
services would not attend, such as conferences.
Worth about $3000 each, they would be bracketed to walls,
probably after the tournament.
St John advises on its website that AEDs can increase
survival rates by up to 40% for sudden cardiac arrest.
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