PowerNet Funds AED Upgrades And Training
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PowerNet is putting $210,000 into its St John partnership over the next three years, keeping free mental health training running across Southland and neighbouring regions while shoring up community access to defibrillators.
The electricity lines company has renewed its sponsorship of Hato Hone St John for another three-year term. The money funds two things: continuing St John's Mental Health First Aid training at no cost to participants, and a review of the 17 automated external defibrillators PowerNet previously helped place in communities — checking what needs replacing, upgrading cabinets so the units are actually accessible, and potentially funding new donations once that work is done.
Eleven Mental Health First Aid courses a year will run across the regions served by PowerNet's networks — Southland, Otago, Queenstown Lakes, and Central Otago.
PowerNet chief executive Paul Blue said the renewed agreement built on 12 years of working together.
"We're proud to continue our partnership with St John for another three years, building on a relationship that has delivered real benefits to communities throughout the south for more than a decade," Blue said.
"This next phase is about continuing to give people practical skills and support through Mental Health First Aid, while also making sure the AEDs we've previously helped put into communities are still accessible, maintained, and ready when they're needed."
The AED side of the deal is worth paying attention to. A defibrillator that's locked in an inaccessible cabinet or sitting with flat batteries is not much use to anyone, so the focus on reviewing and upgrading existing equipment before adding new ones is a practical call.
Hato Hone St John fundraising manager South Island Debbie Zwies said the support would have real reach across the region.
"PowerNet has been an incredibly valued partner for the past 12 years, and we are delighted to continue working together through this renewed sponsorship," Zwies said.
"The ongoing support from PowerNet means we can continue delivering programmes that strengthen community wellbeing, while working together to improve access to life-saving equipment and help more people feel confident responding in an emergency."
PowerNet's connection with St John goes back 12 years and has covered a range of programmes, including St John in Schools and the Whātuia Waiora Weaving Wellbeing programme, alongside the mental health training and AED placements that sit at the centre of this latest deal.