South Wairarapa District Council (SWDC) is humbled to have worked closely with Wellington Free Ambulance to install new Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) throughout 2=025 and 2024, which strengthens communities across South Wairarapa to save lives.  

“We are very grateful to Wellington Free Ambulance for the work they do to help keep our community safe. We’re also grateful to Julie Nevett and The Lloyd Morrison Foundation for funding WFA to provide The Lloyd Morrison Foundation Heartbeat CPR training programme offering free community training to use the AEDs and CPR. Having more of these life saving devices in our communities increases the chance of survival for people who suffer cardiac arrest,” says Stefan Corbett, SWDC Group Manager Corporate Services.

The latest AEDs to be installed are at the new Martinborough Pump Track, the Remutuka Hill Road end of State Highway 2 in Featherston, the Featherston Library and Museum Complex, and Greytown Memorial Baths. Another AED is soon to be installed at the front entrance to the Council’s main office on Kitchener Street, Martinborough.

There have been 13 new AEDs installed in South Wairarapa and funding has come through a variety of sources. This includes community purchases, funding from grants and recovery project work, including the Council’s Community Wellbeing Fund in 2024, which came entirely from the Department of Internal Affairs.

“Every minute counts in an emergency and the new AEDs are easy to use and with the community training that we provide, it increases the chance of surviving cardiac arrest,” says Cheryl Watson, Wairarapa Community Liaison for Wellington Free Ambulance.

“Every week an average of four to five people suffer a cardiac arrest across the Wellington and Wairarapa region. CPR can increase survival rates by 30% and combined with early use of an AED this figure increases by up to 80%.”  

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