Last October, Paul Rhigas collapsed while playing tennis, due to a cardiac arrest. His teammates rushed to grab the club’s automated external defibrillator (AED) and with no training, saved Rhigas’ life.
Without the AED (also known as defibrillators, or defibs), things could have been very different, as ClubTIC reported last year.
The AED Authority advises that having AEDs in clubs and pubs is essential to protecting patrons, staff, and the broader public.
“With over 33,000 Australians dying from sudden cardiac arrest each year and brain damage beginning within 4–6 minutes, early defibrillation is critical — it can lift survival rates from just 5% to over 74%, well before emergency services typically arrive,” the AED Authority told ClubTIC.
Now, the South Australian Government is reinforcing this need, leading the world with laws mandating that AEDs be required in the community.
To assist with this requirement, the South Australian AED Grants Program is offering $1,000 grants towards each AED an eligible organisation purchases so that they are ready by the deadline, 1 January 2026.
The North Eastern MetroStars Soccer Club is one organisation that received funding in the first round of grants, installing their device near their pitch so that it is available to the wider community as well as players and referees.
AEDs make a significant difference in the community, require no training to use and can be used by anyone.
Applications for the South Australian AED Grants Program close at 5pm on Wednesday 30 April 2025.
For organisations not in South Australia, New South Wales organisations can register their interest for the next round of grants in the NSW Government Office of Sports’ Local Sport Defibrillator Grant program.
Alternatively Heart of the Nation, founded by Greg Page of The Wiggles, also offers grants for the acquisition of AEDs.
It is important to note that when someone calls Triple Zero (000) for a cardiac arrest emergency, the operator will guide them to the nearest AED. There are many places for an owner or organisation to register their AED online, clubs should check their state guidelines.
