A NEW state government grant program aiming to help community and sporting organisations purchase automated external defibrillators (AED).
AEDs are portable electronic medical devices which monitor heart rhythms and deliver assisted electrical shock in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest.
Users require no training and the devices can be used by anyone who recognises the signs of a cardiac arrest under the instruction of a triple-zero operator.
Every minute defibrillation is delayed to a person suffering a cardiac arrest, their chance of survival decreases by 10 per cent.
The South Australian AED grants program opened this week and will offer $1000 grants for not-for-profit community, cultural and sporting organisations to assist with the cost of purchasing a defibrillator for their building or facility.
The program aims to assist community and sporting organisations to have AEDs installed by January 2026 in order to meet the requirements of the Automated External Defibrillators (Public Access) Act 2022.
This has made defibrillators mandatory in public buildings such as schools, universities, libraries, sporting facilities, prisons, local council offices, theatres and swimming pools.
To be eligible, organisations must be located in South Australia and meet certain criteria such as being the owner of the building or facility, have an active Australian Business Number and be a not-for-profit sporting or community club, association or organisation.
Minister for Health and Wellbeing Chris Picton said the intiative saved lives with better access to the life saving technology.
Applications for the first round of funding closes Friday 5pm on May 24 with more information available on the Preventative Health SA website.
