Defibrillators save lives!

Five years ago this week I experienced a sudden cardiac arrest after being out for a 5 km run with the kids during Victoria’s COVID lockdowns. It’s surreal to think that half a decade has passed since that moment.

This morning, after celebrating Coburg parkrun’s tenth anniversary, I read a news article calling for mandatory publicly accessible defibrillators. I find such stories confronting, knowing that effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation saved my life, and that many venues still lack easy access to defibrillators.

In the case of a sudden cardiac arrest, the casualty’s chance of survival drops by about 10% for every minute defibrillation is delayed. Calling emergency services and knowing how to perform CPR are equally critical.

To celebrate five years of what I call “bonus time,” I bought a CellAED to keep in the glovebox of my car. I now have a Subcutaneous Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (S-ICD) fitted, but I can’t share that with friends or family if they need help. Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are very easy to use and provide audible instructions.

Today I encourage each of you to think about where your nearest defibrillator is and whether you should keep one closer to home.

# Update, Monday, 2025-10-20

Today I learned that CellAED (Rapid Response Revival®) entered voluntary administration before my AED arrived. Sigh.