Give every heart a chance this Shocktober

With 77 per cent of cardiac arrests happening at home, this Shocktober, Ambulance Victoria is calling on you to give every heart a chance and learn the three simple steps that could save your loved one – Call, Push, Shock.

Every day, 21 Victorians suffer the medical emergency but only one in 10 survive*. Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any time, regardless of age, health or fitness, and often without symptoms.

Now in its seventh year, Ambulance Victoria’s annual Shocktober campaign is a key driver of Victoria’s nation-leading cardiac arrest survival rates, with the campaign equipping people across the state with the confidence and skills to act in a cardiac arrest emergency.

Ambulance Victoria Executive Director Regional Operations Michael Georgiou said Shocktober is about empowering everyday Victorians to save lives by knowing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED).

“Our message this Shocktober is simple – you don’t need to be medically trained to save a life, just remember to Call (Triple Zero 000), Push (perform CPR by pushing hard and fast on the chest) and Shock (use an AED to attempt to restart the heart),” Mr Georgiou said.

“Minutes matter in a cardiac arrest and when a patient receives CPR and an AED shock before paramedics arrive, their chance of survival more than doubles.

“If someone is in cardiac arrest and an AED is available, simply open it and follow the instructions.”

In 2024-25, Victoria achieved its highest cardiac arrest survival rate, with 44.4 per cent of patients surviving a witnessed cardiac arrest to hospital discharge^ – the best in Australia and second best worldwide.

But only 152 cardiac arrest patients in Victoria received a shock from a public AED before paramedics arrived. Data shows women are half as likely to receive a shock from an AED than men, a statistic Ambulance Victoria is working to change.

“We want to give every heart a chance by eliminating the stigma around removing clothing to expose the bare chest and apply AED pads,” Mr Georgiou said.

“AED pad-to-skin contact is really important. Simply follow the diagrams on the AED pad covering and place one pad below the collar bone on the person’s right chest above the breast, and the other on the left side of the person’s chest, below the armpit and beside the breast. You may need to lift the breast to place the pad directly on the ribcage and bare skin.”

He also encouraged the community to sign up as a GoodSAM Responder.

“GoodSAM is a free, life-saving mobile phone app that allows the Triple Zero (000) call taker to connect patients in cardiac arrest with a nearby volunteer who is willing to begin hands-only CPR while paramedics are on their way,” Mr Georgiou said.

“There are currently more than 18,600 GoodSAM Responders across the state, but we always need more.”

Last year, Ambulance Victoria paramedics responded to 7,550 cardiac arrest cases in Victoria.

This Shocktober, Victorians are encouraged to attend a local Call, Push, Shock event to refresh their lifesaving skills and help build stronger, more resilient communities.

Find a free event near you and learn more about Shocktober.

The most recent Ambulance Victoria cardiac arrest data can be found in the VACAR Annual Report 2024-2025.

*The total number of cardiac arrest cases in Victoria. Includes unwitnessed cases where a patient is on their own and no one is available to call Triple Zero (000).

^The number of witnessed cardiac arrest cases in Victoria; meaning someone witnessed the patient experience their cardiac arrest and was available to call Triple Zero (000).