Donation at heart of community

can make.”

A potentially life-saving medical device is back in the heart of the Mayfield community.

A state of the art AED (automated external defibrillator) is set to go up outside Mayfield School in Blenheim again after ASB Bank stepped in to help.

The previous $2500 device was stolen and wrecked after being dumped in a near by culvert at Landsdowne Park earlier this year.

ASB assistant manager Sam Holmes says after reading about the theft in the Marlborough Weekly, they wanted to help.

The replacement unit and security box were paid for using ASB’s Local Community Fund.

As part of its wider long-standing support with Hato Hone St John, ASB has donated more than 48 AEDs across the country since 2020.

Staff at Mayfield School were given training on the new device last week.

Principal David Nott says its great to have the unit back in the community.

Blenheim man Allan Udy spent two years fundraising for the original community AED in 2017 after his daughter Nerys was saved by a defibrillator.

He says he is delighted to know that people in the area can now access help 24 hours a day, seven days a week again.

Damian Tomic says early use of an AED can save someone’s life.

“Every minute of delay, without CPR and defibrillation decreases the chances of survival by 10 to 15 per cent.

“People can learn or encourage others to learn how to perform CPR and use an AED. Would you know what to do if someone went into cardiac arrest? If not, you should.

“If you don’t already know how to do CPR, please sign up to one of the many free courses that are available in the community today.”

Deputy Chief Executive Community Health and Engagement Sarah Manly says communities like Blenheim play a pivotal role in improving cardiac arrest survival rates.

“ASB has been a proud partner of Hato Hone St John for over 14 years and recognise how critical AED’s can be in an emergency and the difference they

“I’m pleased there’s a replacement located at the school that will continue to be of benefit to the wider Mayfield community, and that it’s great that a company like ASB is prepared to front up and help out the community like that.”

Hato Hone St John Deputy Chief Executive Clinical Services Dr

“This is why Hato Hone St John has been working incredibly hard to reach communities and empower people all around Aotearoa with the 3 Steps for Life – calling 111 for an ambulance, starting CPR, and using an AED, which can help save the life of a whānau member or someone in your community.”

Fire scare

People in a Blenheim house were forced to flee their home on Saturday after a fire broke out.

Emergency crews including fire, ambulance and police rushed to the scene on Dillon Street at about 8.20pm.

Police say everyone made it out safely from the property where smoke was seen bellowing out onto the street.