Teenager Austin Blight experienced cardiac arrest without any prior warning signs. He collapsed at the gym, where staff performed CPR and used an automated external defibrillator until paramedics arrived. Since his medical condition in 2024, Austin has resumed attending school and working out. Victoria, where he resides, has the highest cardiac survival rate in the nation and the third-highest globally. This success can be attributed to early intervention, as bystander CPR was administered in 79% of witnessed cases and 141 cases received shocks from public defibrillators. Victoria has over 7,500 publicly accessible defibrillators, which have significantly improved survival rates for cardiac arrest patients. The Ambulance Victoria’s GoodSAM app, which alerts individuals to nearby cardiac arrests, has also contributed to this progress. Ambulance Victoria’s director of research and evaluation, Ziad Nehme, credited the collective effort for Victoria’s highest internationally comparable rate of 41% of patients surviving to hospital discharge, representing the largest annual increase in the past decade.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/mar/24/this-australian-states-heart-attack-survival-rate-is-among-the-worlds-best-and-its-not-down-to-luck