Related articles
Interested in coming to New Zealand?
Sign up to receive relevant job opportunities from New Zealand employers and practical advice on how to make your move to New Zealand a reality.
Learn how to save a life
Around 1,600 New Zealanders die every year after having cardiac arrests. Some of them would have survived if the people around them had carried out cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and known where to find a defibrillator.
If someone does not appear to be breathing, CPR can be used to keep them breathing and maintain their blood circulation.
CPR and first aid courses are run by a range of organisations. Two of the largest and best-known are St John and the New Zealand Red Cross, which have branches across New Zealand.
The courses teach people how to perform CPR and how to use a defibrillator, an electronic device that applies an electric shock to restore the rhythm of a heart that is not beating properly.
Defibrillators
There are about 6,000 defibrillators around New Zealand. They are kept in places such as workplaces, supermarkets, service stations and schools.
You can find defibrillators near you by checking the Automated External Defibrillators (AED) location website or using the free AED location iPhone and Android apps. The Red Cross and St John also offer free apps that can be installed on a range of devices.