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Grants up to $2,000 for Gippsland sporting clubs to acquire an automated external defibrillator (AED)

Automated external defibrillator (AED) funding support must be broadened

By news@gippsland - 6th March 2023 - Back to News

Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, has asked for the government's automated external defibrillator (AED) program to be expanded outside sporting clubs, so community groups can apply to have them installed. "Grants of up to $2,000 are made available for Victorian sporting clubs to acquire an automated external defibrillator (AED), supporting access to life saving equipment. However, local community groups not affiliated with sport can't access the funding."

Having a defibrillator at hand may increase the chance of survival from around 10 percent with only good effective CPR, up to possibly 60-80 percent with a defibrillator at hand for immediate use

Expensive for not-for-profit

Mr Bull said, "The overall cost to purchase an AED is too expensive for not-for-profit volunteer run committees to fund. We know their importance in saving lives, so should we not be getting as many out in the community as possible for what is a relatively small cost to the government?"

"East Gippsland has an ageing demographic but many of our seniors are engaged in community activities, so we should be looking to service these communities, not that these matters are solely confined to our seniors," he said.

Compulsory registration

Mr Bull also queries why there was not compulsory registration for all groups with AEDs. "I am led to believe registration is optional, so when a crisis occurs there may be one close by, but if it is not registered on the system, no one knows it is there."

"We have one installed in our office and this was an issue we became aware of when we were going through that process. It seems wrong to have AEDs in the community without the location of them being publicly registered," he said.

Pictures from Tim Bull MP website.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com