Local sports clubs in Ku-ring-gai have been awarded $13,750 in funding to put towards life-saving defibrillators.

Member for Ku-ring-gai, Alister Henskens SC MP, said it was great to see local clubs had applied for, and been successful in, the first round of the NSW Government’s Local Sport Defibrillation Program.

The successful applicants are as follows:

• Hornsby Rugby Club
• Kissing Point Sports Club (6 portable defibrillators for Men’s and Women’s Over 35 and Over 45 Football)
• Ku-ring-gai Netball Association
• Ku-ring-gai Stealers Baseball Club
• Sacred Heart Pymble Football Club
• Wahroonga Rugby Club

“Ku-ring-gai has a rich history of enjoying community sport and we look forward to the installation of more of these portable life-saving devices in our region,” said Mr Henskens.

“The program will help save lives”.

Minister for Sport, Stuart Ayers, said: “Over 33,000 Australians experience cardiac arrest every year and early access to CPR and defibrillation can influence survival rates by up to 75 percent.

“More than 2,500 defibrillators will be installed at community sporting facilities over the next four years as part of the $4 million program.

“This NSW Government initiative supports up to 50 per cent of the defibrillator cost, training and maintenance and I encourage local sports clubs and councils that had not yet applied to consider the program.”

The next round of applications opens in the middle of this year.

For more information visit: sport.nsw.gov.au/clubs/grants/defibrillator