Hato Hone St John urges Kiwis to be ready to save loved ones
Hato Hone St John media release: 30th September 2025
Hato Hone St John (HHStJ) ambulance service has experienced its busiest winter on record, with July and August marking the two heaviest months for ambulance callouts in the service’s history.
When a medical emergency strikes someone you love, knowing what to do can be the difference between life and loss; whether it is 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 (HHStJ) – with major sponsor MAS (Medical Assurance Society) – is urging people to “learn for your loved one” by taking part in Shocktober, the organisation’s annual CPR and AED awareness campaign.
Throughout the month, HHStJ aims to reach more than 15,000 people through its free 3 Steps for Life programme, while also engaging schools and communities to equip as many people as possible with lifesaving skills.
Hato Hone St John’s 3 Steps for Life programme is a free, one-hour awareness session designed to teach New Zealanders three simple but vital steps when someone goes into cardiac arrest:
- Call 111 and ask for an ambulance.
- Start CPR until help arrives.
- Use an AED (defibrillator) if one is available.
“When you learn the 3 Steps for Life, you’re not just preparing for a moment – you’re preparing to help the people who matter to you most,” says Jacci Tatnell, HHStJ National Manager – Community Education.
Find out about Shocktober training sessions from Hato Hone St John.
“Just like we prepare meals and tuck the kids in at night, we can be prepared to respond when help is needed. The lifesaving skills you learn could mean the difference between someone surviving a cardiac arrest or not,” says Ms Tatnell.
Jo McCauley, MAS Chief Executive Officer, says MAS is proud to support the Shocktober campaign.
“With our roots borne out of the medical profession, MAS is committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders, and that includes being there in moments that truly count.
“Supporting Shocktober is about empowering people with the confidence and knowledge to act in a crisis. We’re proud to stand alongside Hato Hone St John in making lifesaving education more accessible to communities across the country,” says Ms McCauley.
With 72 percent of cardiac arrests happening at home, followed by 15 percent occurring in a public area (including the workplace, street, and shopping centres), preparation is critical – knowing who to call, starting CPR, and finding your nearest AED can make all the difference.
When bystanders perform CPR and defibrillation before an ambulance arrives, a patient’s chance of survival more than doubles.
In the past year, 2,547 people were treated for cardiac arrest by ambulance services in Aotearoa – a 3.6 percent increase on the year before. Of these, 24 percent survived to hospital arrival, but only 11 percent survived beyond 30 days. Māori and Pacific peoples continue to be disproportionately affected too, experiencing cardiac arrest at younger ages, while women remain half as likely as men to receive defibrillation from a bystander.
Research also shows outcomes from cardiac arrest are best when a patient receives immediate CPR and defibrillation within the first five minutes, making it crucial for bystanders to help until emergency services arrive.
This Shocktober, Hato Hone St John is focused on:
- Training 15,000 people in CPR and AED use.
- Engaging 6,500 tamariki through the Save Your Teddy campaign, helping children learn about emergencies in a safe, age-appropriate way.
- Boosting confidence to perform CPR on women, breaking down fears and misconceptions. Women are 60 percent less likely than men to receive CPR and defibrillation during an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. People hesitate due to fear of inappropriate contact or simply not knowing what to do.
- Encouraging whānau preparedness and supporting households to create simple emergency plans and locate their nearest AED.
- Promoting the GoodSAM (Good Smartphone Activated Medics) app, which alerts trained volunteers to suspected cardiac arrests occurring 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.
"People don’t need to be a paramedic or a superhero to save a life,” says Jacci Tatnell
“That’s why throughout October, Hato Hone St John is calling on all New Zealanders to take part in Shocktober to learn the skills needed to help save a loved one – because emergencies can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time.”