A unique project sparked by the Royston Health Trust and St John Ambulance in Hawke's Bay to get 32 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) based around the region could be boosted further in the future.
"It is likely to be ongoing," St John paramedic and shift manager for St John in Napier and Hastings Steve Harkness said, adding that the long-term view was to extend it beyond what had effectively been a pilot scheme to get the first units set up at sites across the wider community.
While other centres had seen defibrillators put in place they were generally individual businesses and community groups, although Taupo had set up a wider-based scheme which Mr Harkness said had been very successful.
So the trust, in liaison with Mr Harkness, embarked on the project to get the AEDs placed at a wide range of sites across the region, some of which he described as "hot spots" in terms of getting an ambulance there quickly.
The project was sparked last June as the trust sought to create something which would benefit the community in terms of medical assistance, and Mr Harkness was delighted to put in his time to sort out potential locations for the AEDs which cost about $3500 each.