Only three in 10 Victorian workers are aware of a defibrillator in their workplace, according to research commissioned by St John Ambulance Victoria.
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The service is calling for mandatory defibrillators in people’s places of work, with the chance of surviving a sudden cardiac arrest rising to more than 70 per cent upon defibrillation within the first few minutes.
The chance of survival decreases by 10 per cent for every minute a person waits for defibrillation.
About 15,000 Australians experience a sudden cardiac arrest each year, of which fewer than five per cent survive.
St John Ambulance Victoria chief executive Gordon Botwright said having access to defibrillator in the workplace was critical to saving lives.
“Having a defibrillator in the workplace can literally be the difference between life and death,” he said.
“This is especially important in regional Victoria, where ambulance response times are higher.”
The service last week gifted Golden City Support Services a defibrillator.
