Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) can save a life.
The Automated External Defibrillators (Public Access) Act 2022 mandates AEDs in certain buildings, facilities and vehicles across South Australia.
Buildings owned by the Crown must comply from 1 January 2025.
Non-Crown buildings, facilities and vehicles (for which compliance requirements apply) must comply from 1 January 2026.
There will be a requirement to register all AEDs on the publicly available South Australian AED Register from 1 January 2026. Information and a link to the register will be made available once confirmed.
In the meantime, you can choose to register an AED on the existing SA Ambulance Service AED Register.
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, an Emergency Medical Dispatch team will direct you through the steps to use the AED until a crew arrives.
When someone suffers a cardiac arrest, they collapse and can stop breathing normally. The heart is no longer efficiently pumping blood to vital organs in the body. 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%. The early use of a defibrillator by members of the public can significantly increase a person’s chances of survival.
The Automated External Defibrillators (Public Access) Bill 2022 was introduced into the Legislative Council on 7 September 2022 and passed both Houses of Parliament on 30 November 2022.
The Automated External Defibrillators (Public Access) Act 2022 (the Act) commenced operation on 8 December 2022. Currently, section 18 is the only operative section of the Act, with sections 3 – 17 to commence on 1 January 2025 for Crown-owned relevant buildings, facilities and vehicles and 1 January 2026 for privately owned prescribed buildings.
The Act requires Automated External Defibrillators (AED) be registered and installed in certain buildings, facilities, and vehicles in South Australia.
An Across Government Steering Committee (the Committee) has been established to oversee the implementation of the requirements of the Act. The Committee comprises of across government representation, one private organisation, and two non-government organisations to ensure a collaborative approach to achieving the deliverables in accordance with the Act requirements.
The role and function of the Committee is to provide:Buildings, facilities and vehicles owned by the Crown must comply with the requirements from 1 January 2025.
Non-Crown buildings, facilities and vehicles (for which compliance requirements apply) must comply from 1 January 2026.
The obligation to ensure compliance with the Act applies to the relevant building, facility or vehicle owner.
Not-for-profit organisations, including community organisations and sporting clubs will be able to apply for grant funding to purchase AEDs, if they meet certain eligibility criteria. Grant applications are anticipated to open in May 2024. More information about eligibility criteria will be provided on this website closer to the date.
There will be a requirement to register all AEDs on the South Australian AED Register from 1 January 2026. Information and a link to the register will be made available once confirmed.
In the meantime, you can choose to register an AED on the existing SA Ambulance Service AED Register. When someone calls Triple Zero (000) for a cardiac emergency, SAAS can use the register to advise them of the nearest AED.
AEDs and other related first aid items can be purchased from organisations that sell first aid, office or medical supplies and AEDs must be Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved and should also meet the minimum recommendations in the Australian New Zealand Resuscitation Council Guidelines.
SA Ambulance Service recommends that the AED:
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 AED’s ability to withstand dust, water, extremes of temperature or mechanical impact.
Ideally, an AED should be capable of being used on both adults and children. 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.
