Academy Receives Vital Defibrillator Grant

Written on the 12 June 2024 by SWSAS

The South West Sydney Academy of Sport is pleased to announce it is a recipient of the 2023-24 NSW Government Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program.

The Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program is aimed at improving availability and access to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in community sporting and recreational facilities, for use in emergencies involving cardiac arrest.

An AED is a device that is used in conjunction with Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and delivers a controlled shock to an individual experiencing cardiac arrest, increasing their chances of survival.

The NSW Government provided $500,000 in grants to eligible sporting clubs and facility owners through the Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program in 2023/24.

Having received this grant, the Academy now has a brand new portable AED, provide by St Johns Australia, which adds a crucial piece of equipment to the Academy's first aid capabilities.

The defibrillator provides the Academy additional security in providing training sessions at venues where there either may not be an AED on site, or access to the local clubhouse during Academy training times, that our athletes, coach and support staff will have a piece of essentially life-saving equipment available during training sessions that are identified at having a higher risk of a health emergency.

With the Academy conducting high-intensity fitness drills as a part of its sport science and functional movement screening tests, athletes can often be subjected to a high level of fitness stress, that they may not have been subjected to before.

Yet whilst these environments are very closely monitored by professionals and service providers, there is an extremely small risk that a young athlete, given their youth, (or coach and support staff), may have an undiagnosed health matter. Even though a small risk, it was one the Academy took the opportunity to address and be prepared, just in case. As is the opportunity to better prepare and educate Academy athletes of the proper use and benefits of an AED within sports first aid training.

When not out in the field, the AED will be located at the Academy's administration centre in Queen St, Campbelltown, providing staff and the local community additional security that should it be required, help is not far away.

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