Hato Hone St John encourages Kiwis to learn CPR for their loved ones
Hato Hone St John media release: 29th September 2026
Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time, and knowing what to do can be the difference between life and death; whether it's a parent, a child, a friend, or a neighbour, every New Zealander has the power to help save a life.
This October, Hato Hone St John, along with major sponsor MAS (Medical Assurance Society), isurging people to “learn CPR for your loved one” by taking part in Shocktober, Hato Hone St John’s annual CPR and AED awareness campaign, now in its fifth year.
Jacci Tatnell, Hato Hone St John Head of Community Education, says Shocktober is about empowering more people to act when every second counts.“Our research shows that every minute without CPR or defibrillation, a person’s chance of survival falls by 10 to 15 percent, so community action is the key to saving more lives.
“Throughout Shocktober we aim to reach more than 17,000 people through our free 3 Steps for Life programme, First Aid Training courses, St John in Schools and community events. We’ll be teaching the key steps to take when someone suffers from cardiac arrest, including calling 111 for an ambulance, starting CPR, and applying a defibrillator.
MAS Chief Executive Jo McCauley, says the campaign is an investment in building stronger, safer communities. “MAS is proud to support Shocktober and help more New Zealanders gain lifesaving skills. Over the past year, more than 32,000 people completed 3 Steps for Life training, meaning more people know how to act in those critical moments before emergency services arrive. You never know whose life you might save, but knowing what to do means someone gets the chance to return home to their family.”
Find out more about organising a 3 Steps for Life session in your community.
Throughout Shocktober Hato Hone St John is also highlighting the inequities in patient outcomes. In the past year, more than 2,400 people were treated for out of hospital cardiac arrest by ambulance services across Aotearoa, New Zealand. While 24 percent survived to hospital arrival, only 12 percent survived beyond one month.
Women are half as likely as men to receive lifesaving CPR and defibrillation from bystanders and have significantly lower survival rates. Māori and Pacific peoples also experience poorer outcomes, suffering from cardiac arrest at younger ages.
With 72 percent of cardiac arrest emergencies occurring in the home, ensuring people from all walks of life have the confidence to respond is critical.
Aucklander Marty van der Burg survived from cardiac arrest at home in April, thanks to the quick actions of his wife Resh, who performed immediate CPR and instructed her sons to call 111, and their neighbour Paul who assisted Resh, with effective CPR before Fire and Emergency New Zealand and ambulance staff arrived on scene. They have now become active advocates for CPR training, by organising the 3 Steps for Life training in their neighbourhood. "By having CPR and defibrillator training, you can potentially save someone’s life. Learn CPR and volunteer to provide CPR when needed, be a loving neighbour, go about and help each other.”
Early bystander CPR and defibrillation can more than double the chance of survival, and to make defibrillators more accessible, Hato Hone St John launched the LifeBeat Mini defibrillator in July. Similar in size to a mobile phone and lightweight to carry anywhere, it is designed to help people respond quickly and confidently to sudden cardiac arrest.
“Our aim is to equip as many people as we can with the confidence and knowledge to act quickly when someone is in cardiac arrest. The skills learnt today could one day help save the life of a loved one, neighbour, or even a stranger,” says Ms Tatnell.
This Shocktober, Hato Hone St John is focused on:
- Training 17,000 people in CPR and AED use.
- Engaging 10,000 tamariki through its Save Your Teddy campaign, teaching children how to respond to emergencies in a safe, age-appropriate way.
- Boosting confidence to perform CPR on women, breaking down fears and misconceptions.
- Encouraging whānau preparedness and supporting households to create simple emergency plans including knowing how to locate their nearest AED.
- Promoting the GoodSAM app, which alerts trained volunteers to suspected cardiac arrests nearby, so they can assist before emergency services arrive.
- Hosting events across the motu in conjunction with Restart A Heart Day on 16 October, focussed on CPR and AED training, encouraging even more people to take the first step towards becoming a lifesaver.