Takapau man’s cardiac event leads to new emergency defibrillator available to the public

Fundraising – and lifesaving – Community Church members Mikaiah and Andrew Tate (from left), fundraising co-ordinator Hirani Maaka, with Jo Ward from the Takapau Medical Centre, Bernie Field, Fiona Greene from the Takapau Medical Centre and Lincoln Taylor from the Takapau Volunteer Fire Brigade.

A series of events in Takapau has led to a new emergency defibrillator being permanently available to the public.

In September, Takapau man Bernie Field collapsed at home after a cardiac arrest. His wife Shelley rang 111 and the Takapau Health Centre while performing CPR. The health centre nurses grabbed their emergency bag and automated external defibrillator (AED) and arrived at their home within minutes, followed soon after by members of the Takapau Volunteer Fire Brigade. Field needed two life-saving shocks from the defibrillator and was looked after by the nurses and fire brigade members until paramedics arrived by rescue helicopter. He was then flown directly to the Wellington Hospital Cardiac Unit.

After surgery, Field is doing well at home and he and Shelley can’t thank the Takapau community enough for working together to save his life.

The age of the defibrillator meant health centre staff then struggled to order new defib pads. A group of residents had been fundraising for a community defib for many months, and together with a donation from the church gathering, a new one was bought and installed in a lockbox on the outside of the centre.

A special launch and karakia took place on October 15 and the defib is now operational for health centre staff and the community to use when needed.

In the case of a cardiac arrest, the community can ring 111 to get the code to open the lockbox. Anyone can operate the automatic defibrillator as it tells people what to do when it is turned on. Every minute a person in sudden cardiac arrest does not receive defibrillation, their chances of survival drop by 7% to 10%, making rapid access to an AED or defibrillator imperative for survival.