Where is the closest Defibrillator
Published on 24 July 2019
You see a person clutch their chest, lose all colour in their face, and suddenly fall to the ground, unconscious while displaying no signs of life. The signs mimic that of someone suffering from a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). You know CPR, but where’s the closest defibrillator?
Over 33,000 people experience an out of hospital cardiac arrest in Australia every year. Less than 9% will survive. Often it is up to bystanders quickly to find the nearest defibrillator.
A defibrillator (sometimes called a ‘defib’, or AED if it’s an automated external defibrillator) can save someone's life if they have a cardiac arrest. They are easy to use and take up no more room than a fire extinguisher.
Ambulances have them on board, but using an AED in the minutes before an ambulance arrives can double someone’s chances of survival. In fact, research has shown that early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation in the first eight to ten minutes sees survival rates jump from 6% up to 75%.
Federation Council's Ageing Well Advisory Committee are compiling a register of public access defibrillators so people in the community know where they are located if needed in an emergency.
Businesses, community groups and individuals are being encouraged to let us know where publicly accessible automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are available in the Federation Council area and nearby towns.
Please email the Ageing Well Advisory Committee (ageingwell@federationcouncil.nsw.gov.au) details of the device, including:
- Organisation Name.
- Address of site.
- Type of organisation (e.g. club, community group).
- Location of Defib (reception, near the door).
- Is this location publicly accessible?
- Hours accessible to the public.
- Common Name of Location (e.g. Bombers Footy Oval).
- Landmarks (e.g. Green building next to oval).
Download the full media release from this page.