October is nationally recognised as defibrillator awareness month.

Shocktober is organised by the Cardiac Arrest Survival Foundation to raise awareness and encourage everyone to install defibrillators in workplaces, at schools, sporting centres, shopping centres and on public transport.

Defibrillators (also known as AED) are used in the event of cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest kills up to 33,000 Australians per year. The quicker someone is defibrillated, the better their chance of survivial. But every minute that passes without a heartbeat reduces your chance of surviving by 10 per cent. This is why we need to encourage all public places to install defibrillators, because every minute counts, and the ambulance may not make it in time.

Automated External Defibrillators (AED) provided automated heart rate analysis, voice commands to the person performing CPR and deliver a shock to the heart to try to get it back into normal beating rhythm.

To help educate and raise awareness your workplace can hold a Shocktober event, visit Shocktober’s Website for more information.