AMA Group is partnering with Defib for Life to install lifesaving Samaritan PAD 500P defibrillators at all its 172 sites and will donate another seven to local sports clubs.
According to AMA, each year in Australia and New Zealand, around 27,000 people have a cardiac arrest – where the heart suddenly stops beating – out of hospital. A cardiac arrest can occur at any moment and the chances of survival depend largely on having a defibrillator nearby to reset the patient’s heartbeat. Survival rates range from five per cent if no one starts CPR or defibrillation, to 90 per cent if a defibrillator is attached immediately.
“AMA Group values the safety of our team, customers, contractors, and local communities above all else,” AMA said. “This is why AMA Group is proudly partnering with not-for-profit foundation Defib for Life to install defibrillators at every one of the Group’s 172 sites over the next two months.
Andrew White, founder of Defib for Life and a former paramedic, said like fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, and first aid kits, defibrillators are becoming a vital part of a workplace emergency response plan. “AMA Group is leading by example, and I strongly encourage other workplaces to follow suit. By installing a defibrillator, you are ensuring your workplace is rescue-ready in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest,” White said.
To further support the communities where its people live and work, AMA Group has acquired seven additional defibrillators from Defib for Life to donate to local sporting clubs. AMA Group staff will nominate clubs near them, with one club per state in Australia and one in New Zealand to receive a free defibrillator.
Additionally, AMA said the defibrillators at Group sites are listed on national registers which can be found online, meaning members of the local community witnessing a cardiac arrest can identify nearby device locations.
“There is nothing more important to us than the safety of our people and the communities in which we work,” said Carl Bizon, AMA Group CEO. “With the biggest collision repair network across Australia and New Zealand, plus our parts supply network, partnering with Defib for Life means there are over 170 additional defibrillators available in our workplaces and to our communities. While we hope these will never be needed, I am pleased that we have made this investment should their use ever be required.”
White said defibrillators are not mandatory in workplaces, but through partnerships with companies such as AMA Group, Defib for Life continues advocating to make them more available. “The more defibs out there, the more lives will be saved,” White said.
According to AMA, the Samaritan PAD 500P analyses heart rhythm and automatically delivers electrical shocks (if required) to restore normal heartbeat. It also has an integrated CPR Advisor, which gives visual and verbal feedback on the force and rate of chest compressions.
Defib for Life was established in 2010, following the loss of several young people to sudden cardiac arrests at sporting venues, including 19-year-old Stephen Buckman, who collapsed suddenly at football training. With no defibrillator available and ambulance response prolonged, he died. White said he joined forces with Stephen’s mother, Sue, to reduce the incidence of preventable death.