VICTORIA. — More Victorians are ready to help save the life of someone in cardiac arrest, with another 12 towns across the state graduating as Heart Safe Communities, bringing the total number of Heart Safe Communities across Victoria to 66.
Victoria has the second highest cardiac arrest survival rate in the world, with initiatives such as the Heart Safe Communities program empowering more community members to take life-saving action.
Through the 12-month program, run by Ambulance Victoria and the Heart Foundation, Victorians learn the simple skills that can make the difference between life and death: recognising a cardiac arrest, giving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), using an automated external defibrillator (AED), registering publicly accessible AEDs and signing up as GoodSAM responders.
The new official Heart Safe Communities are Portarlington/Indented Head and Koroit in Barwon South West, Briagolong and Noojee in Gippsland, Goroke and Edenhope in Grampians, Bonnie Doon and Nagambie in Hume, Rushworth and Red Cliffs in Loddon Mallee, and Moonee Ponds and Springvale in the Metropolitan region.
Across these towns over the past year, Ambulance Victoria trained more than 4,300 community members to Call, Push, Shock, and there are now 172 registered AEDs – 70 of them publicly accessible 24/7. Importantly, more people signed up as GoodSAM responders, meaning more than 18,600 Victorians are now registered on the app.
Ambulance Victoria Director Research and Evaluation Dr Ziad Nehme congratulated the graduating communities and welcomed the next group of towns joining the initiative.
“Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time, and every minute matters – the sooner someone receives bystander CPR and defibrillation, the better their chance of survival,” he said.
“The Heart Safe Communities program shows Victorians that anyone can help save a life by following three simple steps: Call Triple Zero (000), Push hard and fast on the centre of the chest to give CPR and Shock using an AED to attempt to restart the heart.
“Bystander intervention has the biggest impact on cardiac arrest survival, so it’s encouraging to see more people equipped with the confidence and skills to take action while paramedics are on their way.”
New towns commencing the program for 2026-27 are Birregurra and Casterton in Barwon South West, Lindenow and Yinnar in Gippsland, Linton and Nhill in Grampians, Eildon and Moyhu in Hume, Lancefield and Pyramid Hill in Loddon Mallee, and Box Hill and St Albans in the Metropolitan region.
Gippsland grandfather Adrian Auld can attest to the life-saving impact of Heart Safe Communities after he survived a cardiac arrest in Noojee thanks to shocks from a public AED installed as part of the program.
The 75-year-old was enjoying a family lunch at the Noojee Hotel in May when his heart stopped – luckily, bystanders launched into action, calling Triple Zero (000), performing CPR and applying the pub’s AED, which had been installed just weeks earlier.
Off-duty Ambulance Victora paramedic and family friend Tom Cleaver was one of the bystanders who helped save Adrian’s life with the new AED.
“We did about eight minutes of CPR and delivered two shocks with the pub’s AED before Adrian’s pulse returned,” Tom said.
“Over the next few minutes, his colour improved and he became quite alert. We continued to look after Adrian until the paramedic crews arrived.”
Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) paramedics, as well as a specialist Air Ambulance Victoria helicopter crew, responded to the emergency and continued Adrian’s care, providing him with medication, oxygen therapy and blood chemistry analysis.
Adrian was airlifted to hospital in Melbourne where he spent about a week receiving further treatment before being discharged home. He said he is incredibly grateful to everyone who helped save his life.
“I was supposed to be away that day on a road trip. If I’d been anywhere else, I may not have survived. Everything fell into place with people who knew what to do and the hotel having the defib there to bring me back,” he said.
“It’s hard to find the words to say how thankful I am. Those people saved my life.”
Adrian has made a full recovery and is back to riding his bike, playing golf and spending time with his family. He is also planning to learn how to perform CPR, so he feels confident to step in if he ever comes across someone who needs life-saving help.
The Heart Safe Communities program in 2026-27 is delivered by Ambulance Victoria paramedics and first responders, made possible thanks to $93,000 in funding from the Heart Foundation.
Heart Foundation General Manager Victoria Chris Enright said the initiative, which launched in 2019, is making a real difference.
“We are proud to partner with Ambulance Victoria to deliver the Heart Safe Communities program. This partnership helps ensure more Victorian communities have the life-saving tools and training they need to act fast in an emergency,” she said.
The announcement of the graduating and new Heart Safe Communities comes ahead of Restart a Heart Day on 16 October, an annual global initiative to raise awareness and educate the community about CPR and AEDs.
For more information on Heart Safe Communities in your area, including how you can book a community presentation, contact Community.Engagement@ambulance.vic.gov.au.
Learn more about Shocktober, find your nearest AED and sign up as a GoodSAM responder.
