Registering an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)

What is an AED?

An AED (Automated External Defibrillator) is a portable electronic medical device that monitors heart rhythms and delivers assisted electrical shock (‘defibrillation’) to try and correct life threatening heart rhythms in those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. 

When cardiac arrest occurs, the heart suddenly stops, and blood is no longer pumped around the body. An AED can be used to try to restore a normal heartbeat and blood flow.

AEDs are simple, safe, and designed to be used by anyone without prior training. Switching on the AED will commence voice prompts telling you what to do.

Note that within GoodSAM, AEDs are referred to as defibrillators.

The Community Defibrillator Fund

The Community AED Fund operates when Tasmanian government funding is pledged. It aims to increase the number of AEDs by providing funding support to community and not-for-profit organisations and individuals.
Access to AEDs in rural and remote locations across Tasmania is critical.

Early access to an AED helps save lives, and every publicly accessible AED provides an opportunity to assist someone in cardiac arrest, prior to ambulance arrival.

When the Fund is open, applications are assessed based on the location and accessibility of the AED, your willingness to maintain your AED (including cost of replacing the battery and pads), and your willingness to register your AED with the Ambulance Tasmania - GoodSAM program.

What to consider when buying an AED 

The following is a list of considerations when purchasing an AED: 

• It should have Therapeutic Goods Administration Australia (TGA) approval.
• It should operate in accordance with current Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) guidelines.
• Lightweight and easily transportable are important characteristics of an AED.
• It should have a long life battery capable of multiple shocks and multiple resuscitations.
• The AED should come equipped with:
  • Two sets of defibrillator pads
  • Scissors
  • Protective gloves
  • A razor
  • Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) mask/shield and a small towel

Durability

Your AED needs to be durable enough to withstand the environment it is placed in. Most AEDs will have an International Protection (IP) rating indicating the devices ability to withstand dust, water, extremes of temperature or mechanical impact. 

Adults and children

Ideally an AED should be capable of being used on both adults and children. Some AEDs use a child ‘key’ or different defibrillation pads for children under 8 years of age.

Ease of use

AEDs that provide visual clues and verbal instructions on how to perform CPR and early defibrillation are easy to use for non-medically trained users. 

Cost of replacing battery and pads

Different models and types of AEDs will have different replacement costs for batteries (every 4 years) and defibrillator pads (every 2 years or after use)

Storage

To be publicly accessible and therefore available for community cardiac arrests, it is preferable that your AED is located in an area that is easy to access 24 hours, 7 days per week.  

How to use an AED

You do not need training to use an AED; simply turn it on and the machine will talk you through the procedure.

Immediately call Triple Zero (000) so that an ambulance can be dispatched. The call-taker can help you use the AED, and provide CPR instructions, prior to ambulance arrival.

Register your AED 

As the owner of an AED, registering your device with Ambulance Tasmania allows us to share its location with Triple Zero (000) callers when there is a suspected cardiac arrest.

Registered AEDs are also visible to our community responders within the Ambulance Tasmania - GoodSAM program, which alerts nearby responders to cardiac arrest events prior to ambulance arrival.

The greater number of publicly accessible AEDs registered across Tasmania, the greater chance we have of saving lives in the first critical minutes of cardiac arrest. 

Registering and maintaining your defibrillator can save lives. When someone has a cardiac arrest, every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces their chances of survival. If your defibrillator has not been registered, emergency services and community responders/bystanders may be unable to find and access the AED.

GoodSAM program

• There is no cost to register and participate in the program.
• Once you submit the AED Registration Form, Ambulance Tasmania will process your registration.
• You will receive an email confirmation from GoodSAM, with details for creating a password and logging in to your GoodSAM account.
• Having a GoodSAM account will allow you to maintain your registration details over time. 
• Ambulance Tasmania will send you a unique label for your AED. When you receive it, please attach it to the outside of the AED. Take a photo of the AED with the label visible, log into your account and upload the new image against your registration. This will assist people to locate the AED quickly in an emergency.

Will Ambulance Tasmania contact me when someone needs access to my AED?

Ambulance Tasmania will alert Triple Zero (000) callers, bystanders, and community responders to the location of publicly accessible AEDs near the location of a cardiac arrest.

As the AED owner, you won’t be contacted when your device is accessed for an emergency, however you will be contacted by Ambulance Tasmania afterwards to ensure your AED has been returned and is in working order.

Find out more about becoming a GoodSAM responder.