CPR & AEDs: 10 Critical Questions Answered for Australians

Every second counts in a cardiac arrest.

Here are the 10 most common CPR and defibrillator (AED) questions Australians ask-answered in clear, practical steps so you feel confident the next time it matters.

1. Why do I need to refresh CPR every 12 months?

Technically, your certificate lasts 3 years, but the Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) recommends a refresher every 12 months. Why? Because:

• Skills fade faster than you think.

• New guidelines are updated regularly.

• Confidence comes from practice.

👉 How to stay compliant: Set a reminder on your phone for 11 months after your last CPR course and book in straight away.

2. What should I do if someone collapses and there’s no AED nearby?

AEDs save lives, but don’t freeze if there isn’t one.

• Step 1: Call 000 immediately.

• Step 2: Start chest compressions (100-120 per minute, centre of chest, 5cm depth).

• Step 3: Get someone else to search for an AED while you continue CPR.

👉 Bottom line: Continuous CPR keeps oxygen moving until help-or an AED-arrives.

3. Why do people forget to send for a defibrillator at a car crash site?

Stress makes the brain “check out.” People focus on obvious dangers-glass, fuel, blood-and forget the simple lifesaving step: send someone for the AED.

👉 How to fix this: Before you start CPR, point to someone specific and say:
“You-go find the AED!”

4. How do I use an AED if I’ve never touched one before?

AEDs are designed for ordinary people, not paramedics.

• Open it.

• Turn it on.

• Follow the voice prompts.

Pads are labelled with diagrams. The machine will not shock unless it detects a rhythm that needs it.

👉 Tip: Don’t overthink. Just stick it on and follow the prompts.

5. What are the survival rates if CPR and an AED are used immediately?

• Without intervention → survival in Australia is about 10%.

• With early CPR + AED → survival can triple to 30% or higher.

👉 Translation: Sending for the AED is the difference between life and death.

6. How do I stay calm enough to do CPR in a real emergency?

You probably won’t feel calm. That’s normal. But training kicks in like muscle memory.

• Focus on just the next step: push, push, push.

• Count out loud.

• Swap with another rescuer every 2 minutes if possible.

👉 Remember: Doing something is better than doing nothing.

7. What if I break someone’s ribs while doing CPR? Am I liable?

Broken ribs are common in CPR-because effective compressions need force.

• The law protects you under Good Samaritan principles in Australia if you act in good faith.

• A cracked rib is survivable. Death from no CPR is not.

8. What’s the difference between CPR for adults, children, and infants?

• Adults: 2 hands, 30 compressions: 2 breaths.

• Children (1-8 years): 1 hand, 30:2.

• Infants (<1 year): 2 fingers, 30:2.

👉 Tip: If you forget the ratios-just do compressions. Chest compressions alone are better than hesitation.

9. How do I know when to stop CPR if help hasn’t arrived?

Keep going until:

• The person starts breathing normally.

• Paramedics take over.

• You are physically unable to continue.

👉Stopping early can cost a life.

10. Am I legally protected if I try CPR and it doesn’t work?

Yes. In Australia, Good Samaritan laws protect you as long as:

• You acted in good faith.

• You didn’t expect payment.

• You weren’t grossly negligent.

👉Put simply: you won’t get sued for trying to save a life.

📌Final Word

CPR isn’t about perfection-it’s about action. Early CPR and a defibrillator can triple survival. But skills fade, which is why practice is everything.

👉 [Book your CPR or First Aid course with REACHAU today] - where I’ll show you step-by-step until it becomes second nature. Don’t wait for an emergency to find out you’re not ready.