Adelaide City Council has voted to install defibrillators throughout the CBD in a twelve-month trial.
The trial will be conducted in partnership with SA Ambulance Service and other key stakeholders such as the Heart Foundation and St Johns.
Council also approved the purchase of defibrillators for Council-owned buildings where a device is not currently located.
Adelaide City Councillor Phil Martin, who initiated the idea, said that sudden cardiac arrest is a significant public health problem and is one of the leading causes of death in Australia.
“I would like to see defibrillators on every street corner and available 24 hours a day. A defibrillator can dramatically increase the victim’s chance of survival when used in the minutes after a sudden cardiac arrest.
“Defibrillators placed in public places are designed to be used by people with minimal or no training while waiting for an ambulance.
“Wide ranging availability of defibrillators would greatly increase the chances of an individual surviving a cardiac arrest in a public area.”
SA Ambulance Service executive director of clinical performance and patient safety, Keith Driscoll, indicated strong support to partner in the program.
“Every second counts when someone is in cardiac arrest and we know defibrillators save lives.
“We are working with the Adelaide City Council on this project and encourage other councils and community organisations to follow their lead.
“We are developing a defibrillator register, so if someone calls triple zero (000) for a patient in cardiac arrest, the emergency call taker can direct them to the nearest defibrillator.”
There are no national standards regarding the availability of defibrillators, where they should be located or how many should be available in an area of mass public gathering.
Other capital city councils have installed defibrillation devices in Council buildings such as libraries, community centres, town halls and administration buildings. No other councils have a program or strategy where defibrillators are provided in the public realm.
The trial will help determine the willingness of untrained people to use defibrillators in an emergency as well as determine priority areas for the location of devices.
Details regarding the trial program including the number of defibrillators, potential locations and when the trial will start are still to be worked through
