Shocktober

October is Shocktober, the month set aside for sudden cardiac arrest awareness. ProMED Tasmania's crews covered 262 events across the state last year, and our trainers teach CPR every week. But when a heart stops, the first few minutes almost always belong to whoever is standing closest. Most of the time, that's a family member at home.

Why Minutes Matter

More than 32,000 people in Australia have a cardiac arrest each year, and 80% of those happen at home. Only about one in ten people survive one outside hospital. When a bystander starts CPR and a defibrillator is used within the first three to five minutes, survival can rise to 60–70%, according to the Heart Foundation. Each minute without CPR or defibrillation cuts the chance of survival by around 10%.

That matters more here than anywhere. The Menzies Institute reported last year that ambulances in Tasmania take an average of 10.5 minutes to arrive, the longest response time in the country.

Heart Attack Or Cardiac Arrest?

They are different emergencies. A heart attack is a circulation problem: a blocked artery starves part of the heart muscle of blood. The person is usually awake, breathing and able to tell you something is wrong.

A cardiac arrest is an electrical fault. The heart stops pumping effectively, and the person collapses, can't be roused and isn't breathing normally. Gasping, gurgling, or snoring-like sounds are not normal breathing, so don't let them reassure you. A heart attack can lead to a cardiac arrest, and both need a Triple Zero (000) call straight away.

Call. Push. Shock.

1. Call Triple Zero (000). The call-taker will stay on the line and talk you through what to do.
2. Push hard and fast in the centre of the chest, at about 100–120 compressions a minute.
3. Shock with an automated external defibrillator (AED) as soon as one arrives. Switch it on and follow the voice prompts.

An AED Won't Let You Get It Wrong

In the Heart Foundation's State of the Heart Survey 2025, 39% of people said they were "not at all confident" using an AED. The device does the hard part. It reads the heart rhythm and delivers a shock only if needed, so you can't shock someone by accident. You don't need a certificate to use one either. Training makes you faster and more confident, but in an emergency, anyone can open the case and follow the instructions.

Find Your Nearest AED Before You Need It

Most of us know where the defibrillator is at work or in shops. Fewer know where the closest one is to home. Tasmania's publicly available AEDs are mapped on theLIST and in the GoodSAM app. Take two minutes this month to look yours up.

How We Can Help

• Get Trained. Our CPR and first aid courses are taught by trainers who still work in the field. Book a public course through our course calendar, or ask us about training at your workplace or club.
• Get an AED for less this October. For Shocktober, we've discounted LifePak defibrillators in our online store until 31st October 2026. They're the same units our own clinicians carry. If you only need one for an event or a temporary worksite, we also offer short-term AED hire anywhere in the state.
• Get Your Workplace Checked. Our advisors provide free workplace risk assessments, with recommendations on the training, equipment and kit servicing you need.

Call us on 1300 303 419 or get in touch to talk through what suits you.