AMA Group values the safety of our team, customers, contractors, and local communities above all else. 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.
Each year in Australia and New Zealand, about 27,000 people have a cardiac arrest, 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: From as low as 5% if no one starts CPR or defibrillation, to 90% if a defibrillator is attached immediately.
Andrew White, founder Defib for Life and a former paramedic, says: “Like fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and first aid kits, defibrillators are becoming a vital part of any workplace’s emergency response plan. AMA Group is leading by example and I strongly encourage other workplaces to follow suit.”
Defib for Life was established in 2010, following the tragic loss of several young people to sudden cardiac arrests at sporting venues. 19-year-old Stephen Buckman was one of those young people. Stephen collapsed suddenly at football training and, with no defibrillator available and ambulance response prolonged, he tragically died.
White joined forces with Stephen’s mum, Sue, to reduce the needless loss of further lives. The Samaritan PAD 500P defibrillator provided by Defib for Life analyses heart rhythm and automatically delivers electrical shocks (if needed) 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.
Having these devices to hand at every AMA Group site will not only safeguard employees and visitors but provides a life-saving resource for the whole local community. They will be listed on national registers, so anyone witnessing a cardiac arrest nearby can locate the site online.
Carl Bizon, AMA Group CEO, said: “There is nothing more important to us than the safety of our people and the communities in which we work. 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.”
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: one club per state in Australia and one in New Zealand will be drawn at random to receive a free defibrillator.
Defibrillators are not yet mandatory in workplaces, but through partnerships like this, companies like AMA Group help Defib for Life continue advocating to make them more available. “The more defibs out there,” said White, “the more lives will be saved.”