Members of the public help revive elderly man

The man was transported in critical condition to Auckland City Hospital. Photo / File

An 80-year-old man had just parked his boat when he collapsed on the side of a busy Auckland road showing no signs of life yesterday.

The man collapsed on Tamaki Drive about 2pm and was found with no pulse.

Passers by - including a man out running and a family with a young child - rushed to his aid and sourced a defibrillator from the nearby Royal Akarana Yacht Club.

Their actions were being credited by paramedics as crucial factors that led to the man being revived.

Marketing and Corporate Sponsorship manager at the yacht club, Rachael Dodwell, said she was doing office work when a man came in looking for the defibrillator.

"He was just running by when the man collapsed."

Ms Dodwell, a qualified life guard, also ran over to help.

"A man was already doing compressions and mouth to mouth. I don't know if they were family but the [patient] was trying to sell his boat and had just come off the water.

"If it had happened 10-minutes earlier it would have been on the water so you don't know what could have happened."

She said the family had a young child who was starting to get upset by the scene, so she tasked him with waiting for the emergency services to arrive.

Auckland Westpac Helicopter paramedics were sent to the scene in a vehicle, to find the man in a critical condition, said Barry Watkin, the service's chief paramedic.

St John ambulance staff and a unit from the Remuera Fire Station were also sent to the scene.

Mr Watkin said a member of the public began to administer CPR and a defibrillator was also sourced for emergency crews to use.

"The patient was initially administered 3 shocks at the scene, following which his pulse returned," said Mr Watkin.

"We travelled with him in the back of the St John ambulance at which time he began to breathe on his own and by the time we arrived at [hospital], he was able to say his name."

"What is also important to note is the assistance of a member of the public in beginning CPR and alerting emergency services, not to mention having the presence of mind to find [a defibrillator].

"It's an extremely positive result with everybody involved working as a team for the best patient outcome."

St John spokesman Robbie Walker said the man was found and transported in a critical condition to Auckland City Hospital.

The man remains in a critical condition in intensive care.