AED Register | SA Ambulance Service How to register an AED in SA

An AED can save a life. If there is an AED in your building, we need to know.

If your organisation has a publicly accessible AED, it should be registered so people can find it if there is a cardiac arrest in your immediate vicinity.

When someone calls Triple Zero (000) for a cardiac emergency, SAAS can use the register to advise them of the nearest AED.

About 30,000 Australians suffer a cardiac arrest every year and the chances of surviving a cardiac arrest are significantly higher when bystanders use CPR and an AED.

What is an AED?

Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are portable electronic medical devices which monitor heart rhythms and deliver assisted electrical shock (‘defibrillation’) to counteract sudden cardiac arrest.

AEDs can be used by anyone and require no training. When you call Triple Zero (000) in a cardiac emergency, our Emergency Medical Dispatch team will direct you through the steps to use the AED until our crews arrive.

For more people to survive cardiac arrest, South Australia needs more AEDs available in communities, workplaces, schools and clubs in the event of an emergency.

How to check if your AED is already registered

To check if your AED is already registered, please email Health.SAASAEDRegister@sa.gov.au with the name of your organisation and the street address where your AED is located.

Register your AED

To register your AED, use the button below to go to the AED registration platform. South Australian AEDs are now registered on the GoodSAM platform to improve accessibility.

The registration process includes an option to create a GoodSAM AED account to allow you to update your AED details in the future.To check if your AED is registered, please email Health.SAASAEDRegister@sa.gov.au with the name of your organisation and the street address where the AED is located.

If your AED is already registered and you wish to change the details or cancel its registration, please use the form below. Please do not use this form to register a new AED.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do we need defibrillators?

When someone suffers a cardiac arrest, they collapse and stop breathing normally. The heart is no longer efficiently pumping blood to vital organs in the body. The longer this person is left without CPR and defibrillation, the harder it is to restart their heart. This is where the community can make an extraordinary difference.

For every minute that we delay defibrillation, the chances of the person surviving a cardiac arrest decreases by 10%. So the early use of a defibrillator by members of the public can significantly increase a person’s chances of survival.

In any emergency, your AED should be collected after calling Triple Zero (000) and taken immediately to the patient. Some conditions may not immediately appear to be life-threatening, but may quickly deteriorate into a cardiac arrest. Having the AED on standby with the patient ensures it is available for use without delay.
Can I hurt someone with an AED?

No. If you notice that a person has collapsed, is not responding appropriately and not breathing normally (has stopped breathing altogether, is only gasping or making “funny noises”), immediately call Triple Zero (000) for an emergency ambulance. Always follow the directions of the SAAS Emergency Medical Dispatcher Support Officer (call-taker) and immediately send someone to get your AED. Start CPR without delay and the EMDSO will guide and support you through the whole process until the paramedics arrive.

It’s important to know that you will not harm someone by simply attaching a defibrillator to a someone who is not in cardiac arrest. If you are in doubt, attach the pads, turn the machine on and follow the AED’s verbal instructions.

If the person needs a shock, the AED will tell you. REMEMBER – do not stop performing CPR even if no AED shock is advised. Keep performing CPR until the paramedics instruct you to stop and they are physically ready to take over.
What defibrillator does SAAS recommend?

SAAS recommends semi-automatic and automatic devices, both routinely called AEDs.

Manual defibrillators should only be used by an appropriately trained healthcare professional.
What are some of the requirements to consider 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.
- Look for a device that is light weight and easily transportable
- Ensure it has a long life battery capable of multiple shocks and multiple resuscitations
- Your AED should be equipped with;
  - two sets of defibrillation pads
  - scissors
  - protective gloves
  - a razor
  - CPR mask/shield and a small towel
Your AED needs to be durable enough to withstand the environment it is to be placed in. So consider the environment in which you are likely to use it. Most AED’s will have an International Protection (IP) rating indicating the devices ability to withstand dust, water, extremes of temperature or mechanical impact.

Ideally an AED should be cable of being used on both adults and children. This consideration is essential when purchasing devices for childcare centres, schools, sporting venues and medical clinics. Some AEDs use a child “key” or different defibrillation electrode pads for children under 8 years of age.

AEDs that provide visual cues and verbal instructions on how to perform CPR and early defibrillation are particularly beneficial and reassuring to non-medically trained users.
Where can I buy an AED or first aid equipment for my premises?

AEDs and other related first aid items can be purchased from organisations that sell first aid, office or medical supplies. SAAS does not sell AEDs or recommend any particular brand of AED.