By John Haines, Founder of LivCor and former MICA Flight Paramedic. Published 11 October 2026. Last reviewed by John Haines on 11 October 2026.
Reading time: 14 minutes
In an emergency
If someone is unresponsive and not breathing normally, call 000, start CPR, and apply an AED as soon as one is available. Every minute without defibrillation lowers the chance of survival by roughly 10 per cent (ANZCOR Guideline 7).
The short version
- Buy an ARTG-listed AED. Every AED sold in Australia must be included on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods. AEDs have been Class III medical devices, the highest device class, since November 2021.
- Match the unit to where it will live. A boardroom, a site hut and a pool deck need different levels of dust and water protection.
- Price the whole decade, not the box. Pads, batteries, a cabinet, signage and servicing over 8 to 10 years usually cost as much again as the unit.
- Plan for children. If a child under 8 could ever be the patient, choose a unit with a child mode or child pads.
- Buy from people who will still be here. An AED is a 10-year asset. The manufacturer and the Australian supplier need to outlast it.
- South Australia now requires AEDs in many commercial buildings. Other states expect them wherever a first aid risk assessment says so.
1. Who this guide is for
This guide is for the person who has to make the AED decision and defend it afterwards:
- Workplace decision-makers (HR, facilities, WHS leads, office managers) buying for an office, shop, factory, warehouse, venue or clinic.
- School principals, sports club committees and community organisations buying for a school, club room, oval or hall.
- South Australian property owners and managers meeting the Automated External Defibrillators (Public Access) Act 2022.
- Households buying after a family cardiac event or because an ambulance is a long way away.
The priorities differ. Workplaces need defensible documentation. Schools and clubs need child capability and a unit that survives being carried around. South Australian buyers need to know what the Act actually requires. Home buyers want something anyone in the house can use.
I spent 18 years with Ambulance Service Victoria, 11 of them as a MICA Flight Paramedic, and I have supplied defibrillators to Australian workplaces since LivCor started in 1988. This guide is the advice I give in person. For a brand-by-brand comparison, read Mediana vs Philips vs HeartSine. For industry-specific guidance, read Best Defibrillators for Australian Workplaces.
2. What an AED does, and why minutes matter
An automated external defibrillator (AED) reads the heart's rhythm and, if it finds a shockable rhythm (ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia), delivers a measured electrical shock to let the heart restart a coordinated beat. It talks the operator through every step. It will not shock a heart that does not need it (Healthdirect).
Around 25,000 to 26,000 Australians have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest attended by ambulance each year; of those where paramedics attempt resuscitation, about 13 per cent survive to leave hospital (Aus-ROC, Bray et al. 2022). Those overall numbers hide a very different picture for the cases an AED is built for. When the arrest is witnessed, the rhythm is shockable, bystander CPR starts straight away and a shock is delivered within the first 3 to 5 minutes, survival is many times higher (ANZCOR Guideline 7). ANZCOR puts the cost of delay at roughly 10 per cent survival lost per minute in ventricular fibrillation.
Ambulance response in Australian cities is measured in double-digit minutes. That gap is the entire reason to own an AED. The guideline is blunt about it: apply a defibrillator to anyone who is unresponsive and not breathing normally "as soon as it becomes available".
3. The eight features that matter
A specification sheet will list 30 or 40 features. Eight of them decide whether the unit does its job on the day.
3.1 ARTG listing
Every AED sold here must be included on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG). Since 25 November 2021, automatic and semi-automatic external defibrillators have been Class III medical devices, the highest class, because the device both diagnoses and treats (TGA, 2021).
The TGA does not approve or endorse products. A device is "ARTG-listed" or "included on the ARTG". A seller who tells you the regulator has approved its unit is using language the regulator itself rejects.
Check: the ARTG number for any unit on your shortlist, on the ARTG public database. LivCor prints the ARTG number on its AED product pages.
3.2 Semi-automatic or fully automatic
A semi-automatic AED analyses, then tells the operator to press the shock button. A fully automatic AED analyses, warns everyone to stand clear, and delivers the shock itself.
Both work. The choice is about the operator.
| Who will most likely use it | Lean towards |
|---|---|
| Untrained bystanders, public spaces, a crowd in a panic | Fully automatic |
| Trained first aiders, workplace responders, clinics | Either; semi-automatic keeps a final human check |
| Mixed sites (a school with staff, parents and visitors) | Fully automatic, for the worst case |
In LivCor's range, the Defibtech Lifeline AUTO and the Elliot are fully automatic. The Philips HeartStart HS1 and FRx, the Mediana A15 and the HeartSine samaritan PAD 500P are semi-automatic.
3.3 IP rating (dust and water)
The Ingress Protection (IP) rating has two digits: the first for solids (0 to 6), the second for water (0 to 8).
- IP21, for example the Philips HeartStart HS1: dry, indoor, clean air. Right for a reception desk, wrong for a site hut or a pool.
- IP55, for example the Philips HeartStart FRx: dust-protected and resists water jets. Right for most workplaces, schools, sports facilities and outdoor cabinets. The FRx also withstands a 1 metre drop onto concrete and loads up to 250 kg (Philips, per LivCor's product listing).
- IP56, for example the HeartSine samaritan PAD 500P: dust-protected and resists powerful water jets. Right for pools, construction sites and marine use.
The Elliot is rated water and dust proof and operates from minus 20 to 50 degrees. The Mediana A15 and the Defibtech Lifeline AUTO are both rated IP54: dust-protected and splash-resistant.
3.4 Adult and child capability
Children under 8 (or under about 25 kg) need less energy. ANZCOR's position: standard adult AEDs and pads suit children over 8; for younger children and infants, paediatric pads and an AED with a paediatric capability should be used where available (ANZCOR Guideline 7).
Three designs are on the market:
- One set of pads with a switch or button. The operator flips to child mode. Nothing to swap, one expiry date to track. The Mediana A15 and the Elliot work this way.
- Separate child pads or a child key. The operator removes the adult pads and fits the child set, or inserts a key. One more step under pressure and one more consumable to track. The Philips HS1 uses infant/child SMART Pads; the FRx uses an infant/child key; the HeartSine uses a Paediatric Pad-Pak.
- Adult only. Acceptable only where a child could never be the patient.
For schools, childcare, clubs, family workplaces and public venues, plan for a child. If no child option is on hand in an emergency, use the adult AED anyway; the alternative is no defibrillation at all.
3.5 Pad and battery life
Consumables drive the cost of ownership more than the unit does.
| Component | Typical life |
|---|---|
| Adult pads | 2 to 4 years, by manufacturer (Mediana A15 pads 2 years; Philips HS1 and FRx pads 2 years; Elliot pads 5 years) |
| Battery | 4 to 7 years standby (Philips 4 years; Mediana A15 4 to 5 years; Defibtech 7 years) |
| Child pads, where separate | 2 to 3 years |
The HeartSine samaritan PAD uses an integrated Pad-Pak, with pads and battery in one cartridge and one 4-year expiry. Philips, Mediana and Defibtech use separate pads and battery. One cartridge is easier to track; separate parts let you replace only what has expired.
3.6 Self-test and status indicator
Every modern AED tests itself on a schedule (daily, weekly and monthly on the Philips units, daily and monthly on the Elliot) and shows the result on a status indicator: a light or icon visible without opening the cabinet.
This is the only practical defence against the AED that quietly fails in a cupboard during the years between installation and its first emergency. Ask whether the indicator is visible from outside the unit, whether the unit logs failed tests, and whether status can be reported remotely (the Elliot reports to a phone app over Bluetooth).
3.7 CPR feedback
Some AEDs measure the rescuer's compressions through the pads and say "push harder" or "good compressions". The HeartSine samaritan PAD 500P does this with its CPR Advisor. Most units, including the Philips HS1 and FRx, the A15 and the Elliot, coach with voice prompts and a metronome rather than measured feedback.
Bystander compressions are usually too shallow and too slow. Feedback helps most where several staff could be the first responder and nobody practises regularly. It matters less where trained responders are on site.
3.8 Warranty and supplier longevity
Warranty tells you how much the manufacturer trusts its hardware. In LivCor's range: Mediana A15 five years, Elliot six years, Philips HS1 eight years, Defibtech Lifeline AUTO eight years, HeartSine 500P eight years, Philips FRx eight years.
A warranty is only worth what stands behind it. Over the ten years you own the unit you will need a manufacturer still making pads and batteries for that model, an Australian supplier still trading and able to help, and ongoing firmware and regulatory support. Manufacturers do leave the Australian market, and when they do the unit becomes a paperweight with warranty left on paper.
Before you buy, confirm that:
- the manufacturer has been making AEDs for at least ten years
- pads and batteries for your exact model are stocked in Australia
- the Australian supplier has a verifiable address, ABN, phone number and years of trading
- technical support comes from inside Australia
4. Australian rules that shape the decision
4.1 South Australia: now law
The Automated External Defibrillators (Public Access) Act 2022 (SA) is Australia's first state mandate for public-access AEDs:
- 1 January 2025: Crown-owned buildings and emergency service vehicles
- 1 January 2026: non-Crown buildings, including most commercial premises
Relevant buildings with 600 square metres or more of publicly accessible floor area must have an AED, and on commercial land with more than 1,200 square metres of that floor area, one AED for every 1,200 square metres (AED (Public Access) Regulations 2024, reg 10). The maximum penalty for failing to install or maintain a required AED is $20,000 (Act s 7(2)). AEDs must be registered with SA Ambulance Service and signed in line with the Act (SA Health).
If you operate in South Australia, treat this as a compliance project with a registration step, a signage step and a maintenance step, not as a shopping decision.
4.2 The other states: expected, not mandated
No other state or territory mandates workplace AEDs by general legislation. WHS frameworks treat an AED as a risk control to be considered in the first aid risk assessment, particularly where there is electrocution risk, delayed ambulance response, or a lot of public visitors (SafeWork NSW; WorkSafe Victoria).
Safe Work Australia's model Code of Practice: First Aid in the Workplace notes that AEDs "are designed to be used by trained or untrained persons" and "should be located in an area that is clearly visible, accessible and not exposed to extreme temperatures".
A business with elevated cardiac risk and slow ambulance access that decides against an AED needs to be able to show why. That is harder to argue every year.
4.3 Who sets the clinical rules
The Australian Resuscitation Council and ANZCOR write the protocols that first aid training and workplace response plans follow. Guideline 7 covers AED use in basic life support and Guideline 11.4 covers electrical therapy in advanced life support.
The TGA's Restricted Representations Permission for AEDs (2021) lets suppliers talk plainly about sudden cardiac arrest in the context of AEDs. That permission is why this guide can say what it says.
4.4 Maintenance standard
AS/NZS 3551 covers the management, maintenance and testing of medical electrical equipment, AEDs included. It is not always legally binding, but hospitals, insurers and most service contracts use it as the reference. In practice: documented monthly visual checks, pads and batteries replaced before expiry, and an annual check.
5. What an AED costs in Australia
LivCor prices as at October 2026, unit only unless stated; prices change, so check the product page.
| Unit | Type | Child capability | Warranty | LivCor price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elliot | Fully automatic, 680 g, app-connected | Child button, same pads | 6 years | $1,395 |
| Philips HeartStart HS1 | Semi-automatic, IP21 | Separate infant/child pads | 8 years | $1,449 |
| Mediana A15 | Semi-automatic | Switch, same pads | 5 years | $1,599 |
| Philips HeartStart FRx | Semi-automatic, IP55, rugged | Infant/child key | 8 years | $1,990 |
| Defibtech Lifeline AUTO | Fully automatic, 7-year battery | Separate child pads | 8 years | $2,000 |
| HeartSine samaritan PAD 500P | Semi-automatic, IP56, CPR Advisor | Paediatric Pad-Pak | 8 years | $2,319 (package; subject to stock) |
Packages with an alarmed wall cabinet add roughly $120 to $160 to the unit price (for example the HS1 package with alarmed cabinet at $1,609, or the A15 package at $1,759).
Then add the cost of owning it for 8 to 10 years, using LivCor's current consumable prices as a guide:
- Replacement adult pads every 2 to 4 years: $140 to $143 (A15 pads, HS1 pads)
- Replacement battery every 4 to 7 years: $290 to $327 (A15, Philips)
- Child pads or key where separate: $247 to $330 (FRx child key, HS1 child pads, HeartSine Paediatric Pad-Pak)
- Alarmed wall cabinet: included in the packages above, or bought separately
- Signage: a complete AED wall sign package is $85
- Annual check or service: budget $100 to $250 a year if you use an external provider
- CPR training for staff: $100 to $200 per person per year
As a planning rule, assume the decade costs about twice the unit price once pads, batteries, cabinet, signage and servicing are counted.
6. Four questions that narrow the field
Answer them in order. Each one removes units from the list.
1. Where will it live?
- Indoor, office, climate-controlled: IP21 or better.
- Indoor, public-facing, mixed use: IP54 or better.
- Outdoor, sports facility, construction, industrial: IP55 minimum, IP56 preferred.
- Pool deck, marine, washdown areas: IP56 and a rugged cabinet.
2. Who will use it?
- Trained first aiders only: semi-automatic or fully automatic.
- A mixed crowd including untrained people: fully automatic.
- A crowded, high-anxiety venue: fully automatic, strongly.
3. Could a child be the patient?
- Yes (school, childcare, club, family workplace, public venue): child mode or child pads, non-negotiable.
- Rarely but possibly: child capability, strongly.
- Never: adult only is acceptable, and rarely the right call anyway.
4. Will the supplier be here in ten years?
- Manufacturer with 10 or more years in Australia: low risk.
- Australian supplier with a verifiable address, ABN, phone and trading history: low risk.
- New entrant or single-product company: higher risk; ask about consumables commitments.
Four answers usually leave two to four units. From there it is price, warranty, familiarity and the supplier relationship.
7. LivCor's recommendations by setting
LivCor sells every unit named below. The right one depends on what you are solving, so these are starting points, not verdicts.
Office (CBD or low-risk indoor). Look for an 8-year warranty, simple voice coaching and a visible status light. Philips HeartStart HS1 for the lowest unit price after the Elliot and a widely recognised brand; Mediana A15 if children ever visit; Elliot if you want app-based status monitoring. Browse the AED range.
Industrial site, warehouse, construction. Look for IP55 or better, drop tested, and fully automatic for high-stress retrieval. Philips HeartStart FRx for ruggedness; Defibtech Lifeline AUTO if you want fully automatic operation.
School, childcare, sports club. Look for one-pad-set child mode, fully automatic if untrained adults may respond, and an alarmed cabinet. Mediana A15 for the switch-and-same-pads design; Elliot for a light, fully automatic unit with a child button.
Hospitality, retail, public venue. Look for simple operation, a status light visible from a distance and fast analysis. Philips HS1 or Mediana A15.
South Australian commercial property. Look for a confirmed ARTG number, a unit suited to the environment, registration with SA Ambulance Service and the signage the Act requires. LivCor advises site by site; start with Best Defibrillators for Australian Workplaces.
Home. Look for fully automatic operation, child capability and something light enough to live in a kitchen drawer or the car. Elliot at 680 grams with a child button; Mediana A15 for the same-pads switch.
For the three brands buyers compare most, read Mediana vs Philips vs HeartSine.
8. Maintenance over the life of the unit
The gap between what buyers expect and what owning an AED costs sits in the maintenance years.
Monthly: a 30-second look at the status indicator, the cabinet, the signage and the expiry dates. One named person owns it. Write it down.
Annually, and after every use: a fuller check against AS/NZS 3551, by a WHS officer or an external provider: function, pad and battery condition, firmware, cabinet, signage. After any use in an emergency, the pads are replaced and the unit is checked before it goes back on the wall.
Every 2 to 4 years: new pads.
Every 4 to 7 years: new battery, or a new Pad-Pak on a HeartSine.
At 8 to 10 years: a new unit, usually when manufacturer support ends or consumables cost approaches a new unit.
9. What should you look for when buying an AED in Australia?
Buy an ARTG-listed unit matched to its environment, with child capability, the right IP rating, and a manufacturer and supplier with a long Australian track record.
The environment sets the minimum IP rating: IP21 is fine in a climate-controlled office; industrial sites, sports facilities and outdoor cabinets need IP55 or IP56. The operator sets the mode: fully automatic removes the shock-button decision from a frightened bystander (Healthdirect). Child capability is required wherever a child could be the patient (ANZCOR Guideline 7).
The fourth filter is the one buyers skip: an AED depends on a ten-year supply of pads, batteries and support. Choose a manufacturer with a long Australian history and a supplier you can find, ring and visit.
| Priority | What to verify | Why |
|---|---|---|
| ARTG listing | ARTG number on the TGA register | Legal requirement |
| IP rating | Matches the environment (IP21, IP55, IP56) | Durability where it lives |
| Child capability | Switch, button, separate pads or key | Required wherever children may be present |
| Pad and battery life | Manufacturer's expiry intervals | Drives the ten-year cost |
| Self-test and status light | Visible without opening the unit | Catches silent failure |
| CPR feedback (optional) | Measured compressions through the pads | Better bystander CPR |
| Warranty | 5 to 8 years, in writing | Manufacturer confidence |
| Supplier longevity | Years trading, address, ABN, local support | Protects consumables and service supply |
10. Pair the AED with CPR training
An AED is half the response; CPR is the other half. ANZCOR has compressions start immediately and continue until the AED is applied (Guideline 7).
For workplaces, budget for annual CPR refreshers for designated first aiders, with Provide CPR (HLTAID009) or Provide First Aid (HLTAID011) as the baseline. CPR skills fade within 6 to 12 months, which is why the Australian Resuscitation Council recommends a refresher every year.
Training can come from an external first aid trainer or be run in house with CPR manikins and AED trainers. In LivCor's experience, organisations training more than about ten people a year usually find in-house equipment pays for itself inside 18 months. The CPR Manikin Buying Guide covers that decision.
A practical workplace plan:
- At least one trained first aider per 50 workers in low-risk workplaces, or per 25 in high-risk ones (Safe Work Australia Code of Practice)
- CPR refresher every 12 months
- A site walk-through with the AED when it arrives
- Register the AED with your state ambulance service or the GoodSAM app
11. Frequently asked questions
Are AEDs hard to use?
No. AEDs are built for untrained people. Once switched on, the unit talks the operator through pad placement, when to stand clear and when to shock, and it will not shock unless it finds a shockable rhythm (Healthdirect). Familiarisation builds confidence but is not a legal prerequisite.
Do you need training to use an AED in Australia?
No. There is no legal requirement to be trained. Good Samaritan provisions in every state and territory (for example the Civil Liability Act 1936 (SA)) protect bystanders acting in good faith (Law Handbook SA). The Australian Resuscitation Council recommends that anyone with access to an AED be familiar with it, ideally through a CPR or first aid course.
Can a defibrillator be used on a child?
Yes. Most current AEDs support children, either through a child mode (Mediana A15, Elliot), separate child pads (Philips HS1), a child key (Philips FRx) or a Paediatric Pad-Pak (HeartSine). For children under 8 or under about 25 kg, use the child option if you have it. For children over 8, standard adult pads are suitable (ANZCOR Guideline 7). With no child option available, use the adult AED anyway.
How much does an AED cost in Australia?
A new ARTG-listed AED unit costs between about $1,400 and $2,400 at LivCor as at October 2026, from the Elliot and Philips HS1 at the lower end to the HeartSine 500P package at the top. Owning it for 8 to 10 years adds pads, a battery, a cabinet, signage and servicing, which roughly doubles the outlay over the decade.
How long does an AED last?
A well-maintained AED has an operating life of 8 to 10 years. Warranties in LivCor's range run from five years (Mediana A15) to eight years (Philips HS1, Defibtech Lifeline AUTO, HeartSine 500P). Pads need replacing every 2 to 4 years (5 on the Elliot), batteries every 4 to 7 years. Units are usually retired when manufacturer support ends or consumables cost approaches a new unit.
Do AEDs need annual servicing?
Yes. Service annually in line with the manufacturer's instructions and AS/NZS 3551, on top of monthly visual checks and the unit's own self-tests. After any use, replace the pads and have the unit checked.
What is the difference between an AED and a defibrillator?
An AED is a defibrillator designed for lay rescuers: it reads the rhythm itself and only allows a shock when one is indicated. "Defibrillator" also covers the manual units paramedics and clinicians use, where the operator reads the ECG and picks the energy. In workplaces, schools and public places, "defibrillator" almost always means an AED (Healthdirect).
Where should an AED be installed in a workplace?
Where anyone on site can fetch it and be back with the patient within about three minutes. That means visible, reachable by staff and visitors during opening hours, away from extreme temperatures, and signed with the green and white AED symbol (Safe Work Australia Code of Practice). Large or multi-storey sites usually need more than one unit. Register it with your state ambulance service AED register or the GoodSAM app so 000 call-takers can direct bystanders to it.
12. Next steps
- Browse the full AED range: Philips, Mediana, HeartSine, Defibtech and Elliot.
- Compare the brands head to head: Mediana vs Philips vs HeartSine.
- Industry-specific guidance and South Australian compliance: Best Defibrillators for Australian Workplaces.
- Train the people who will use it: CPR Manikin Buying Guide and the AED trainer range.
- Keep it alive: pads and batteries.
LivCor advises on AED selection for specific sites, multi-site rollouts and South Australian compliance. Email info@livcor.com.au or see our location and contact details.
Sources
- ANZCOR. Guideline 7: Automated External Defibrillation in Basic Life Support. https://www.anzcor.org/home/basic-life-support/guideline-7-automated-external-defibrillation-in-basic-life-support
- Bray J, Howell S, Ball S et al. The epidemiology of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Australia and New Zealand: A binational report from Aus-ROC. Resuscitation, 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35077857/
- Healthdirect Australia. Defibrillators and AEDs. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/defibrillators
- Therapeutic Goods Administration. Reclassifying active medical devices for therapy with diagnostic functions (2021). https://www.tga.gov.au/resources/guidance/reclassifying-active-medical-devices-therapy-diagnostic-functions
- Therapeutic Goods Administration. Therapeutic Goods (Restricted Representations: Automated External Defibrillators) Permission 2021. https://www.tga.gov.au/resources/advertising-permissions/therapeutic-goods-restricted-representations-automated-external-defibrillators-permission-2021
- Therapeutic Goods Administration. ARTG public database. https://www.tga.gov.au/resources/artg
- Government of South Australia. Automated External Defibrillators (Public Access) Act 2022 and Regulations 2024. https://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/
- Legal Services Commission of SA. Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). https://www.lawhandbook.sa.gov.au/ch01s01s02s01.php
- SA Health. AED requirements for public buildings and facilities. https://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/public+content/sa+health+internet/about+us/campaigns+and+projects/automated+external+defibrillators/requirements+for+public+buildings+and+facilities/requirements+for+public+buildings+and+facilities
- Safe Work Australia. Model Code of Practice: First Aid in the Workplace. https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-code-practice-first-aid-workplace
- SafeWork NSW. First aid in the workplace. https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/safety-starts-here/safety-overview/first-aid-in-the-workplace
- WorkSafe Victoria. Use of an AED in the workplace. https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/use-automated-external-defibrillator-aed-workplace
- ANZCOR. Guideline 11.4: Electrical Therapy for Adult Advanced Life Support. https://www.anzcor.org/
- Standards Australia. AS/NZS 3551: Management programs for medical equipment. https://www.standards.org.au/
- Therapeutic Goods Administration ARTG. Mediana HeartOn A15, ARTG 209076. https://www.tga.gov.au/resources/artg
- Therapeutic Goods Administration ARTG. Elliot (HeartHero) AED, ARTG 387771. https://www.tga.gov.au/resources/artg
- Civil Liability Act 1936 (SA), Good Samaritan provisions. https://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/
- LivCor product listings for the Philips HeartStart HS1 and FRx, Mediana A15, Defibtech Lifeline AUTO, Elliot and HeartSine samaritan PAD 500P (specifications and prices as at October 2026). https://shop.livcor.com.au/collections/aeds
About the author
John Haines founded LivCor (APL Group) in 1988 and has supplied defibrillators, CPR manikins and first aid equipment to Australian workplaces and training organisations for more than 35 years. Before that he spent 18 years with Ambulance Service Victoria, including 11 years as a MICA Flight Paramedic. He is the author of the Emergency First Aid and Advanced First Aid Guide series, with more than two million copies sold, conceived the HAINES recovery position in 1989, served as Deputy Chairman of the Australian Resuscitation Council (NSW Branch), and is a founding member and past President of the First Aid Industry Alliance. He holds the National Medal and a Commendation for Bravery. Connect on LinkedIn | More about John
Medical disclaimer
The information in this article is general in nature and does not constitute medical advice. It should not replace formal training in CPR and AED use, nor the advice of a qualified healthcare professional. In a medical emergency, call 000 immediately. LivCor strongly recommends that anyone responsible for first aid response in a workplace, community or home setting complete accredited CPR and AED training through a recognised training provider.
Commercial disclosure
LivCor is an Australian supplier of defibrillators, CPR training equipment, simulation devices and first aid supplies. The products discussed in this article are sold by LivCor. LivCor is an authorised Australian dealer for Mediana AEDs and a retailer of Philips HeartStart, HeartSine, Defibtech and Elliot AEDs. Recommendations are made by use case, based on published specifications, current LivCor pricing and the author's experience as a paramedic and supplier. This article was written and clinically reviewed by John Haines.
Changelog
- 11 October 2026 (v2.0): Rewritten for publication. Author attribution to John Haines; product recommendations aligned to LivCor's current range; prices updated to October 2026; cardiac arrest figures aligned to Aus-ROC; signage and standards references simplified.
- 14 May 2026 (v1.1): Draft. Statistical claims qualified; ARTG numbers verified; image markers added.
- 14 May 2026 (v1.0): Initial draft.