AEDs in schools

By Education Gazette editors

Issue: Volume 96, Number 17

Posted: 25 September 2017

Reference #: 1H9exJ

Cardiac arrest can affect anyone, even young people, without warning.
It may occur at your school or during an off-site school event.

To support schools, the Ministry of Education has worked with the
New Zealand Resuscitation Council, St John New Zealand, Red Cross and the Ministry of Health to develop a factsheet called AEDs in schools. Download the PDF version of AEDs in schools(external link).

An AED (automated external defibrillator) delivers a safe electric shock to try and restart the heart. AEDs are very easy to use and increase the chance of a person surviving a cardiac arrest from around 15 per cent to around 40 per cent.

Across New Zealand there are thousands of AEDs available for use. Some of these are located at private businesses, schools or at defibrillator stations in community hubs. To find your nearest AED, visit
www.aedlocations.co.nz(external link).