In a cardiac emergency, staying calm and acting quickly makes all the difference. The ZOLL AED 3 is designed to guide you every step of the way, whether you're helping an adult or a child.

Here's a practical breakdown of what to do when using this fully-automatic defibrillator.

Stay Calm and Check Responsiveness

Make sure the scene is safe. Approach the person and check if they respond. If there's no response, shout for help or call 999 immediately.

If the Patient Is a Child

Press the Child Button on the AED. This adjusts the defibrillator’s settings to deliver a child-appropriate shock.

Expose the Chest

Cut or tear away clothing to fully expose the patient’s bare chest. You’ll need a clear surface to attach the pads.

Open the Pad Package

Tear open the pad packaging. Follow the diagrams carefully to apply the pads correctly:

For adults, attach both pads to the bare chest as shown.
For children, place the green pad on the centre of the chest and the blue pad on the child’s back. Then, tear away the purple sensor from the green pad and place it back onto the green pad as directed.

Do Not Touch the Patient

Once the pads are in place, the AED will begin analysing the heart rhythm. Do not touch the patient during this stage. The device will clearly say:

"Don’t touch patient. Analysing."

If a shock is needed, the AED will either deliver it automatically or ask you to press the flashing shock button.

Start CPR

If no shock is advised, or after a shock is delivered, the AED will guide you to begin CPR. Follow the prompts:

Push to match the tone – the AED uses a metronome to guide your compression speed.
It may say “Push harder” if your compressions aren’t deep enough.
Keep going until the device tells you to stop or emergency help arrives.

Automatic Shock Delivery (Fully-Automatic Model Only)

If using the fully-automatic version, the ZOLL AED 3 will warn:

"Shock will be delivered in 3, 2, 1..."

There’s no need to press a button. Just ensure nobody is touching the patient.

Final Tip

Continue CPR and follow the AED’s instructions until emergency responders arrive or the person begins to move.

This guide is not a substitute for hands-on training, but it can help you stay one step ahead if you’re ever faced with an emergency. The ZOLL AED 3 is built to support you throughout the rescue.

Be prepared. Know your kit. You might save a life.

Featured