Do you need a defibrillator at home?

Most cardiac arrests happen at home. Are you prepared?

Call 111. Start CPR. Wait for the ambulance. In the event of a sudden cardiac arrest, every moment matters. By the time an ambulance arrives, precious minutes have already passed.

What if there was something else you could do? A new generation of portable AEDs is making it possible to have defibrillation close at hand in those crucial first minutes, before emergency services arrive.

Smaller, lighter and designed to be carried, the portable defibrillators popular overseas are now available in New Zealand. For the first time, New Zealanders can take life-saving power into their own hands, with an AED that goes where life happens: in the first aid kit, the glovebox, at the bach, on the boat or on the sideline.

Who could use a portable AED

So who could benefit from having a portable AED close at hand? In reality, almost any household could. But there are some situations where the case is particularly compelling:

• Households with young children or older relatives at home, where "what if" thinking is already front of mind
• Families with a history of heart conditions, where the risk feels closer to home
• People living rurally or a distance from town, where ambulance response times are longer
• Anyone who's had a health scare, their own or a family member's, and doesn't want to be caught unprepared
• Sportspeople and adventure-lovers, trail runners, hunters, divers, mountain bikers, anyone whose weekend takes them outside close ambulance range
• People on the move, full-time travellers and anyone living out of a motorhome or campervan, where home is wherever you've parked, and there's no fixed address for help to find you
• Anyone who values being prepared, with a fully-stocked first aid kit ready for any emergency.
  

What to look for in a portable AED

Not all portable AEDs are the same. If you're considering one for home or to take with you, there are a few practical things worth looking for:

• Small and lightweight – something compact enough to store at home or carry in the car, boat, campervan or first aid kit. The HeartHero Elliot weighs just 680 grams.
• Simple to activate and use – pull-to-start activation, pre-connected pads and clear voice and visual instructions can make the process easier to follow when you're under pressure.
• Suitable for adults and children – one set of pads that can be used for both, without needing separate paediatric pads or an adaptor.
• CPR guidance – built-in CPR coaching and a metronome can help guide the person using the AED through the emergency, even if they haven't used one before.
• Easy to check and maintain – automatic self-testing and app connectivity can make it easier to monitor battery and pad status and know when the device needs attention.
• Built for real-world use – water- and dust-resistant construction, a long pad life and a long-term warranty are worth considering if the AED is going to travel with you.