Where to put your AED (and where not to)

12 August 2026

In New Zealand, the median response time of a St John's ambulance with an AED is 8 to 11 minutes.

For every minute that passes without defibrillation or immediate CPR, survival drops by 10%.

Sudden cardiac arrest doesn't wait for someone to dig through a storeroom or rummage for a key. Making sure you access your AED quickly and easily is critical.

Remember: the AED on your wall isn't an afterthought. It's your first responder.

Speed matters.

There's no law in New Zealand that spells out exactly how many AEDs a workplace needs or precisely where they must go. WorkSafe requires all workers have access to first aid equipment, but leaves the specifics to the business.

What does exist is clinical evidence, and it's compelling. Hato Hone St John's most recent data shows bystander CPR more than doubles a person's odds of survival, and community defibrillation before the ambulance arrives more than doubles survival odds again for those with a shockable rhythm.

That's the thinking behind good placement: aim for an AED that's quick to reach from anywhere on site, ideally well inside that 8 to 11 minute window before an ambulance would typically arrive.

In practice, that might mean more than one AED on larger or multi-storey sites, so that every area has fast access when they need it, not just the area closest to reception.

If someone has to run far to find it, or search for it once they arrive, the placement isn't doing its job.

Common placement mistakes

Hidden in a storeroom, cupboard, or office

Locked away with a hard-to-access key

Access blocked, obstructed or too far away

Exposed to heat or water

Lacking clear signage

Where you should put your AED

High-visibility, high-traffic spots

Easy to access and quick to unlock

Enough coverage on bigger site

Protected from the elements

Obvious, visible signage

Every site is different, and the right setup depends on layout, foot traffic, and how many floors or zones you're covering.

If you're not sure whether your current placement holds up, or you're installing an AED for the first time, we're happy to help you work through it. Heart Saver's range includes AED cabinets, break glass key boxes for secure key access, and signage to keep your device visible from a distance.

A quick placement checklist

Is it accessible quickly from every part of the site?
Is it visible from a distance, with clear signage?
Is it protected from heat, moisture, and direct sun?
If it's a multi-storey or multi-zone site, does every area still have easy access to the AED (not requiring passes or keys to move through the site?)
If in a locked cabinet, is the key right there at the unit, or the code properly shared and registered with emergency services?

If you can tick all five, your AED is where it needs to be. If not, it's worth a second look before it's needed.

A note on outdoor locked cabinets

Both outdoor key-locked and keypad-locked cabinets are secure tamper-proof ways to store your AED outdoors – as long as access is fast when it matters.

If you're going with a key-locked cabinet, pair it with a break glass key box mounted right beside it. It works the same way as a manual fire alarm call point: smash the glass, grab the key. The cabinet stays secure day to day, and anyone can get to the key in seconds when it counts.

If you're going with a keypad cabinet:

Make sure the right people know the code. If the person who set it up moves on, make sure the code is passed on before they leave. It sounds obvious, but it's one of the most common issues we come across.
Register your code with emergency services. When someone dials 111, the operator can relay the code to the caller so they can access the AED immediately, but only if it's been registered. It's an easy step that could save critical seconds.
Check your cell coverage. Keypad cabinets rely on someone being able to call 111, so confirm your location has reliable coverage before committing to this option.

Signposted, stored and registered

Signage matters more than most businesses expect, especially in multi-storey buildings. Signage should be posted on every floor to direct people to the AED's location, not just at the AED itself, and signs near lifts or stairwells with directional arrows help a responder find it without stopping to ask. See our available signage options.

AED cabinets should shield the device from heat, moisture, and direct sun, but that protection shouldn't come at the cost of visibility. See Heart Saver's range of AED storage.

Once your AED is installed, register it on AED Locations to help others in your community find it. You can also download the free app, and the AED Locations site shows the location and hours of availability for every registered device nearby. For more on making your AED easy to find once it's installed, including signage and registering its location, see our previous guide.