What is an AED, and when is it used?

An AED is an automated external defibrillator. It analyses a person’s heart rhythm and determines whether a shock is needed during a cardiac arrest. The device guides the responder through its use.

A heart attack and a cardiac arrest are different. A heart attack affects blood supply to the heart muscle; cardiac arrest means the heart is no longer pumping effectively. A heart attack can lead to cardiac arrest. An AED is part of the response to cardiac arrest.

For a business, preparation starts before an emergency: decide where the AED will go, who checks it and how staff will find it.

AED rental in NZ: what comes with the service?

A managed rental brings the equipment and its service arrangements into one plan. Alsco Uniforms’ First Response brochure identifies the LIFEPAK CR2 as its preferred defibrillator and describes these rental inclusions and options.

These details come from the Alsco Uniforms First Response brochure (PDF). Your quote and agreement should confirm the supplied model, service schedule, payment terms and selected options.

How much does AED rental cost?

Request a quote for your premises. Include the site address, number of AEDs, indoor or outdoor placement and familiarisation needs. Ask for the rental payment schedule, agreement length, installation scope and any optional cabinet or training charges so you can assess the full arrangement.

AED rental or buying outright?

Compare the total cost and responsibilities over the equipment’s life. With a purchased AED, establish who organises installation, checks, replacement parts and readiness after use. For a rental, check exactly which of those tasks the provider manages and which remain with your workplace.

Explore Alsco Uniforms First Response services or request a workplace assessment.

AED installation: make the equipment easy to reach

The right position depends on the premises. A café, warehouse, school and office each have different access points, operating hours and people to consider. Work through these practical decisions with the installation team.

1. Visibility and access: choose a clearly marked position people can reach quickly. Consider staff, visitors and people with limited mobility.
2. Access hours: establish who can reach the AED during every shift and when the premises are closed. Public access needs its own plan.
3. Indoor or outdoor storage: choose a suitable cabinet and follow the AED manufacturer’s environmental limits. Discuss secure outdoor options where appropriate.
4. Signage and wayfinding: help someone unfamiliar with the building find the equipment from likely entry points.
5. Site handover: show staff the location, explain access arrangements and include it in the workplace emergency plan.

WorkSafe’s first aid guidance and Hato Hone St John’s placement advice support visible, accessible storage and appropriate upkeep.

Register the AED and record its access hours

Hato Hone St John invites owners to register AEDs so emergency call handlers can direct people to available equipment. Its registration is separate from a public listing with AED Locations. Record accurate access information; an indoor AED is only available when people can actually reach it.

Read the AED registration guidance.

AED maintenance: keep responsibility clear

A managed service still needs a workplace contact. Nominate someone to monitor the device between provider visits, following the supplied instructions. They should know how to report a warning, damage, missing equipment or emergency use.

• Keep the cabinet accessible and the route to it clear.
• Check the readiness indicator and consumable dates as instructed for the model.
• Record provider visits, replacements and any reported faults.
• Contact the provider promptly after use so the equipment can be made ready again.

The brochure’s three-year battery and pad service replacement is a rental inclusion. It does not mean waiting three years if a fault occurs, the pads have been used, or the manufacturer’s instructions require earlier action.

AED familiarisation and CPR training

Modern AEDs are designed for use by members of the public. Familiarisation helps staff recognise the device, find it and understand its prompts. Alsco Uniforms’ brochure offers familiarisation on request, while its First Response page also offers onsite AED training for business groups of up to 10 people.

Ask which training option suits your team and what is included. Equipment familiarisation and a recognised first aid qualification serve different purposes.

For community groups, Hato Hone St John’s 3 Steps for Life is a free, one-hour session covering calling 111, starting CPR and using an AED.

Viv’s Kitchen, Sanson: a local reason to be ready

At Viv’s Kitchen in Sanson, Manawatū, a frightening health experience for Kevan prompted the family to think about emergency preparedness. Seven weeks later, the café announced that a defibrillator had been installed.

The supplied photographs show a LIFEPAK CR2 in an Alsco Uniforms cabinet. For the café, the decision was about reassurance for the people who share the space: the team, locals and visitors.

“It’s not until we went through something like we did, that we realised how much these are needed in the community.”

Viv’s Kitchen, from the café’s original Facebook announcement.

The story shows a business taking a practical step after a personal experience. For other workplaces, the useful question is straightforward: could your team find and access an AED when it is needed?

Plan AEDs across multiple workplaces

A business with several locations needs a clear record of each AED and its local contact. Use one site list to discuss equipment, cabinet choice, familiarisation and service arrangements with Alsco Uniforms.

Record the AED position, access hours, responsible person and service history for each workplace. Assess every site’s layout and staffing so the plan works for the people who will use it.