In New Zealand, ambulance crews treat about seven people a day who are in cardiac arrest, meaning their heart is no longer pumping blood to vital organs.

Sadly, fewer than one in eight are likely to survive.

But as our new study shows, more lives could be saved if community responders were equipped with portable automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to get treatment to patients sooner.

Community responders include bystanders, but New Zealand also uses a smartphone app called GoodSAM to alert volunteers who are trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and AED use.

GoodSAM responders receive alerts about cardiac arrests near their location, allowing them to provide assistance faster, before emergency services arrive.

CPR and defibrillation are cornerstones of cardiac arrest treatment, and research shows earlier defibrillation significantly improves survival.

Our research shows that when GoodSAMs respond to an alert, the rate of life-saving defibrillation triples for cardiac arrests occurring at home.

Minutes matter in a cardiac arrest. The longer treatment is delayed, the greater the likelihood of permanent injury or death.

In New Zealand, an ambulance or fire and emergency services vehicle equipped with a defibrillator reach a patient in cardiac arrest on average eight minutes after an emergency call. In rural areas, the wait can be significantly........

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