The Importance of AEDs: Why Every New Zealand Home and Workplace Needs a Defibrillator

The Numbers That Should Change Your Mind

• 1,500+ New Zealanders suffer sudden cardiac arrest in the community every year (NZ Heart Foundation).
• Survival drops 7 to 10% per minute without defibrillation (ANZCOR).
• Defibrillation within 3 minutes gives the best chance of survival, a window ambulance response usually cannot meet.
• Survival can more than double when immediate CPR and an AED are used together before the ambulance arrives.

Most cardiac arrests happen where people live, work and play, in front of bystanders who could act if the equipment were there. Understand the condition itself in our guide to sudden cardiac arrest.

Why Workplaces Need an AED

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, employers must take all reasonably practicable steps to protect the health and safety of workers and visitors. While the Act does not name AEDs specifically, WorkSafe NZ expects first aid provision to reflect the workplace's risks, workforce size and distance from emergency care.

For many New Zealand businesses, especially those with older workforces, physical work, public foot traffic or rural locations, an AED is the clearest reasonably practicable step available. It also signals to staff and customers that their safety is taken seriously.

Why Homes Need One Too

The majority of cardiac arrests happen at home. If a household member has cardiac risk factors, an AED at home removes the single biggest delay in the chain of survival: waiting for a device to arrive. Our founder's cardiac surgeon gave him exactly that advice after his arrest, and it is how AED NZ began. Read the story.

Quality Matters: Not All AEDs Are Equal

An AED you cannot trust is barely better than no AED. High-quality devices self-test automatically, carry FDA or TGA approval, and support the rescuer through the whole event. The ZOLL AED Plus adds Real CPR Help®, live coaching of compression depth and rate, which matters because every cardiac arrest needs CPR but only about half need a shock. Compare the options in our AED comparison and read how to choose the right AED.

Getting Started

1. Assess your site: people, risks, distance to emergency care.
2. Choose a quality device: FDA or TGA approved with CPR feedback.
3. Place it well: visible, signposted and reachable within 3 minutes round trip. See why placement matters.
4. Keep it ready: simple maintenance habits and genuine consumables.

Community group or club? Grants regularly cover community AEDs. Our fundraising guide lists 30+ NZ funders and we will prepare quote documentation for your application free of charge.