The Liberal Government is committed to reforming the health system to deliver better patient care for Tasmanians. Supporting us in our vision is Ambulance Tasmania, which is leading the nation with an innovative new program designed to dramatically improve the chances of survival for someone experiencing cardiac arrest.
In an Australian first, the Early Access to Defibrillation Program will see community based defibrillators, which have been registered with Ambulance Tasmania, linked to the triple zero emergency network.
If a cardiac arrest occurs near a registered machine, the owner will be alerted and, if possible, take their defibrillator to the scene to help the patient.
It’s important to note this program does not change how paramedics respond to triple-zero calls, but gives patients suffering cardiac arrest the best possible chance at survival through early access to defibrillation.
The key to this program’s success is community involvement. I urge all business, community groups and individuals who have an Automatic External Defibrillator to register their machine with Ambulance Tasmania and potentially help save lives.
I congratulate Ambulance Tasmania and their partners on this life saving initiative.
If you are in Tasmania and own a defibrillator, you can register it online at http://ambulance.tas.gov.au/eadp or call 1300 979 057 for more info
Has the government ever considered providing all schools with a defib?
While I do not have a defib I am interested in the program. My husband and I spend a lot of time on the North East Coast at Tomahawk where we have a beach house. I am aware that it is quite a distance from Scottsdale Hospital, it takes us 50 minutes, perhaps less for an ambulance.
If we had a defib in the community here I would be happy to learn how to use it.
Judith Pinel