As a first in Australia, the SA government is passing laws that make it mandatory to have defibrillators in public spaces. This is wonderful news, as it is likely to lead the way for other states to pass similar laws, helping to save many lives in the future! Here’s what you need to know about how the laws work and what they apply to.

What public spaces need defibrillators by law?

The law requires that the following public spaces have defibrillators:

• Libraries
• Schools
• Universities
• Sporting facilities
• Local council offices
• Swimming facilities
• All emergency responders, including fire services

In addition, the defibrillator laws will also apply to:

• Shopping centres
• Aged care communities
• Retirement communities
• Commercial offices over 600 square metres in size
• Residential apartment blocks

Why SA defibrillator laws are so important

These laws were introduced to the SA state parliament by Frank Pangallo, introduced by the question of “What value do we put on life?” And we couldn’t agree more!

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is the biggest killer of Australians, affecting people of all ages, including children and the elderly, regardless of their health and fitness levels. Anyone can experience SCA, and many people have risk factors that they don’t know about, including hidden heart defects, so it is a very unpredictable emergency condition. In addition, it can occur very quickly with little or no warning.

Because of this, most SCAs occur away from a hospital. In this emergency event, the victim needs to get their heart restarted ideally within 3 minutes to prevent permanent and debilitating brain and organ damage – and in just 10 minutes, most people pass away. This is well outside the ability of emergency services to reach victims in time, and the tragic fact is that of the 30,000 SCAs that occur each year in Australia, only one in 10 survive.

Putting the chance to save a life in public hands

While CPR is effective at giving SCA victims a better chance of survival, the only way to treat SCA and restart their heart is to use a defibrillator. This increases a victim’s chance of survival to 70%. By putting defibrillators that are simple to use into public amenities and training onsite staff, the community is empowered to act quickly and potentially save a life in these circumstances.

Over the next 2 years, defibrillators will be rolled out in public spaces and the private sector will have 3 years to comply. If passed by the state government, a maximum fine of up to $20,000 would be imposed on those who failed to abide by the new laws.

Discounts for bulk orders on defibrillators in Australia

At DefibsPlus, we’ll continue to supply the best in portable defibrillator technology to communities across Australia, helping to turn everyday people into lifesavers, and communities into heart-safe spaces for work and play. Chat with us today about getting a discount for bulk defibrillator orders and participating in our free defibrillator training program!