General News
4 April, 2025
AED locations highlighted
Following a series of out of hospital cardiac arrests, the community is urged to familiarise themselves with the locations of Automated External Deliberator (AEDs) throughout Maryborough.
Ambulance Victoria operational community engagement liaison coordinator for the Loddon Mallee region Andrew Jochs said AED awareness is crucial as cardiac arrests can be highly unpredictable.
“Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. Every day there are about 20 Victorians who suffer from cardiac arrests, and it can happen to any age, health, or fitness level, and it can happen without any symptoms,” he said.
Mr Jochs urges that along with bystander Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), early intervention with the use of AEDs is critical when someone experiences a cardiac arrest outside of hospital.
“In Victoria, we have one of the best cardiac arrest survival rates in the world. A high level of bystander intervention and early access to CPR and defibrillation is what makes one of the biggest differences,” he said.
“Minutes matter in a cardiac arrest. For every minute CPR is delayed, the survival is decreased by about 10 percent. When a patient receives CPR and a shock from AEDs, their chance of survival more than doubles.”
AEDs analyse the heart’s rhythm, and match this rhythm to send impulses into the body to simulate a regular heartbeat.
When used, CPR must be given after.
Mr Jochs said anyone can use an AED, regardless of their level of medical or first aid training.
“Just turn it on and follow the voice prompts. It will tell you to expose the person’s bare chest, remove any clothing and put the pads on the directed location, there are pictures to show you where. Do not to touch the person, it is analysing their heart rhythm. If it needs to deliver a shock, it will tell you. It will do that automatically, and then it will direct you through CPR,” he said.
Mr Jochs said by having an AED at your organisation that is registered, it can be located on the Ambulance Victoria website, making it easily accessible when needed.
“When a business has an AED registered, it links in with our call taking and dispatch system, so if the cardiac arrest happens at that facility, there will be a call for someone to get the AED,” he said.
This information is also made available to GoodSAM responders, who are alerted when someone goes into cardiac arrest.
“GoodSAM is what we call a life saving smartphone app, it connects Victorians that are in cardiac arrest with members of the community who are signed up and are willing to start CPR before an ambulance gets there,” he said.
Ambulance Victoria recently released the Victorian Ambulance and Cardiac Arrest Registry annual report, which showed Victoria had Australia’s highest cardiac survival rate and the third best in the world.
The report highlighted the significant impact of early intervention with the use of AEDs, with 141 cases receiving a shock delivered from public AEDs, the highest number on record.
47 percent of those survived when first shocked by public AEDs.
Mr Jochs said these figures can continue if locals have awareness of where to access an AED and how to use them.
“We encourage all Victorians to know where the AEDs are, and all businesses, shop owners and sports clubs must ensure their AEDs are registered. We urge all Victorians to learn CPR and register as GoodSAM responders and locate their nearest AEDs,” he said.