Dannevirke: School grateful for life-saving gift

Back: Ruahine School student Lucian McAnulty, farmers Max and Bruce Charmley, Dallen Olson, Sandra Cordell,and Shaun Baxter. Front: Ruahine students Dylan Nicholson and Isla Gernhoefer. Photo / Christine McKay

Maharahara farmer Max Charmley knows how important a life-saving portable defibrillator is for his community.

"Time is the critical factor when someone collapses," he said.

And now Ruahine School and it's community have their own defibrillator, thanks to the Fonterra Grass Roots Fund which donated $3230 to the school for the purchase of the Heart Saver defibrillator.

"It can take at least 20 minutes for an ambulance to get out here," Ali Watts, the school administrator said. "With our machine kept on the wall outside the school it's accessible for the community at any time and it also comes with child-size pads, should we need it."

Staff at the school undertake St John first aid training, with some trained in the use of the defibrillator.

Yesterday representatives from the school and the community came together to thank Sandra Cordell, a councillor on Fonterra's Shareholders' Council and Dallen Olson, Fonterra's head of co-operative affairs for the central districts, for the machine.

"The Fonterra Grass Roots Fund supports our rural communities and people can apply for whatever suits the needs of any particular community," Mrs Cordell said.

For Mr Charmley, the donation is particularly significant as he underwent major heart surgery following a heart attack while on his farm's runoff.

"I had to jump off my tractor because I was feeling nauseous, light-headed and I was sweating. I had no cellphone coverage, so after I'd recovered a bit I drove my tractor back to the shed and then drove home. I knew I was in trouble and like a wounded dog, knew I had to get home. Because I didn't pass out I didn't need defibrillation, but it was a long wait for the ambulance to arrive. Time is vital and I'm sure this defibrillator will give our community some peace of mind."

Mr Charmley is the president of the Dannevirke Golf Club and said there have been three occasions when people "haven't made it" after collapsing on the course.