The NSW Government have announced a $500,000 investment towards state sports to encourage clubs and centres to install automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at their facilities, at an event a day before World Heart Day.
The Heartbeat of Football Foundation, who attended, have also received a $150,000 grant by the government to conduct research into which NSW sports clubs and centres who may lack AEDs in hopes it will provide insight and guidance for future government investments.
The foundation will also use the grant for their #HeartHealthMatters program, which delivers AED and CPR training to sporting clubs across regional NSW, while eligible sports groups can apply for the Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program with up to $3,000 for buying AEDs.
Heartbeat of Football Foundation Founder, Andy Paschalidies congratulated Sports Minister Steve Kamper and the NSW Government for their continued support of the #HeartHealthMatters program.
“It has already proven to be a lifesaver, and our foundation will continue to push for all sporting grounds in NSW, and indeed across Australia, to be equipped with lifesaving and publicly accessible AEDs,” she said via press release.
Minister for Sport Steve Kamper spoke about how important for sporting organisations to be able to respond to life-threatening emergencies, such as cardiac arrest on the sporting field, by using AEDs.
“Last year, the Minns Labor Government supported more than 190 sporting organisations to purchase this potentially life-saving equipment,” he said via press release.
“Heartbeat of Football’s mapping project will play a vital role in enabling the Minns Labor Government to plan future targeted investment at sport facilities that need it most.
Doyalson Wyee Football Club player and NSW’s oldest on-field cardiac arrest survivor Allen Lyell, 70, also attended the event, and remarked he had no symptoms of any heart issues, and the doctor told him he was fit.
“I was fortunate that there was a defibrillator at the ground and people knew what to do, so I became one of the lucky ones,” he said via press release.
More than 2,300 defibrillators and AEDs have been funded for use at sports and recreation facilities across NSW since the Local Sport Defibrillator Grant program started, with applications still open from the 1st of December or when funding is exhausted.
Heartbeat of Football Foundation
The Heartbeat of Football Foundation is a non-for-profit organisation who aim to have zero-deaths related to heart health on Australian sportsgrounds, and have worked with state soccer bodies around the country including Football Victoria to run charities and other events.
In 2023, both groups partnered to spread awareness of heart health with Football Victoria promoting awareness and education for players, coaches and clubs, prevention through screening checks, and for clubs to have functional AEDs at every sportsground.
The Victorian Government last year has a similar program called the Sporting Club Grants Program, which allowed sporing clubs to receive $1000 for the purchase of medical supplies like AEDs.
Currently, the Victorian Government has the Emergency Sporting Equipment Grant Program, aimed at replacing damaged and used sporting equipment, including defibrillators.
For further information, including eligibility criteria for NSW sports and recreation organisations, visit: https://www.sport.nsw.gov.au/grants/localsport-defibrillator-grant-program.
