Public Access Defibrillation / Project Heartstart Australia, with Insurance Australia Group and the Australian Government as represented by St John Ambulance Australia.

Winner: 2007 Australian Safer Communities Awards, Projects of national significance, Post-Disaster category.

The Australian Government initiated the Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) concept in late 2002, hosting a workshop to begin the project. After working with the Department of Health and Ageing, a Working Group selected St John Ambulance Australia to establish the design and implementation phase of the PAD Project. It was recognised that St John was suitably qualified, has a national reach, is positioned as a ?one stop shop? and offers expertise in management, training and administrative support. This allows them to have a substantial impact in communities. The project was aimed at reducing the mortality of pre-hospital sudden cardiac arrests by introducing defibrillators to areas of high public usage. Defibrillators use an electric charge to stabilise a rapid or irregular heartbeat. The areas initially targeted for locating the machines were airports, gymnasiums, sporting facilities, entertainment centres and clubs, shopping centres and colleges. As more defibrillators become available the list continues to grow. The Insurance Australia Group generously supported the idea through its retail brands and the community based defibrillation project was borne. The distribution and education program relies on cooperation and support from the commercial/industry sector, as well as from public sector agencies for the acceptance and placement of PADs as these users must be convinced that the training and support provided will ensure that the equipment is used safely.