Paramedics are urging schools, businesses and community centres throughout Tasmania to register their defibrillators.
If a person has a life-threatening heartbeat irregularity, the medical device sends out electric shocks to try and return the victim’s heart rate to normal.
At least 300 of the portable devices have been installed around Tasmania and already lives are being saved.
Scott Dodge, 23, was recently released from hospital after having his life saved by the use of a portable defibrillator.
Mr Dodge collapsed while running on a treadmill at a 24-hour gym in Moonah.
“The last thing I probably could remember, really, is probably coming out of the change rooms, getting onto the treadmill … other than that I can’t remember a thing,” he said.
Triple-0 was called, CPR was performed and it was fellow gym-goer, Bill Moutwari, who activated the registered defibrillator alerting the ambulance service.
“I’m just very glad that that was there to assist us in keeping Scott alive until the paramedics got here,” he said.
Ambulance Tasmania chief executive Dominic Morgan said chances of survival increase from less than 5 per cent to as high as 70 per cent if the victim is hooked up to a defibrillator within three to five minutes of going into cardiac arrest.
“These machines are safe to use, as we know with Scott, they will not fire [activate] unless the patient requires it,” he said.
“They’re there for anyone to use, it doesn’t require any training at all.”