An Oamaru neighbourhood has partnered with Waitaki Neighbourhood Support to purchase an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) for their street.
Each household in Blue Stone Dr contributed towards the $1000 device, which is now stored outside a residence and accessible 24/7.
Waitaki Neighbourhood Support co-ordinator Christine Dorsey, who also lives in the street, said the idea of purchasing one for the street "seemed like a no-brainer".
"It’s there 24/7 which is [important].
"A lot of the AEDS around town are in businesses that shut."
Blue Stone Dr residents undertook neighbourhood training to use the AED just before Christmas, with St John rural North Otago group operations manager Carol Harding.
Mrs Dorsey said a majority of cardiac arrests occurred when people were at home, so the proximity of an AED was important.
"We know that neighbours are going to be the first people that can be on the scene.
"They will be there the fastest so it makes sense to have them trained and have them have the equipment there so they can help."
Mrs Dorsey is now working with the residents to register themselves on the Good Sam App. It is for people who have been trained in CPR to receive an alert when or if someone nearby suffers a cardiac arrest.
"If someone within our street calls 111 and that’s the issue, then we will get an alert. So, that means anyone on the street can grab the AED and go directly to that house, because you’re given the address.
"It’s kind of a two-pronged approach, in that we can get it there really fast and that the people have been trained."
Mrs Dorsey encouraged other streets to come together in the same way, and was happy to assist in procuring an AED.
"I would love to have more in other streets around the town. It’s just a bit of organising, really."
The Blue Stone Dr device is also registered on the AED Locations app, so that the wider Oamaru community can also access it.
