It was business as usual last month at the Mitre 10 Mega in Botany when a member of the public ran into the store asking for help. A young man in his twenties had collapsed about 300m from the store and was unresponsive.
Payaal, a store employee, acted quickly and grabbed the store’s AED which sits in the checkout area. She is trained in first aid, and she knew if it was a sudden cardiac arrest, they would need the defibrillator to restart the person’s heart.
The AED was attached to the person and two shocks were delivered. The ambulance took a while to get there from Takanini, but the patient was breathing when he was taken away in the ambulance. He later made a full recovery.
“The AED was so easy to use. We just followed the instructions, step by step and did what it asked us to do.” Payaal said.
Store owner, Michael Beale, was so impressed with his staff’s quick reaction and how easy the defibrillator was to use: “Within an hour I was on the phone to Heart Saver to order a unit for my Helensville store! It was a great outcome.”
He sees this as part of the community service which stores like Mitre 10 can offer their community. By registering the AEDs on the aedlocations app it enables anyone to be able to find and use the life-saving device in an emergency.
“Not many other places are open on a Saturday and Sunday in places like Helensville. We are pleased to be able to give back in this way.”
