The original Yellow Wiggle Greg Page and the Heart Foundation are behind a fresh push for more lifesaving devices in rural areas.

Page’s organisation Heart of the Nation has partnered with the foundation to advocate for greater access to automated external defibrillators (AED) and more education on how to give CPR.

They want government to roll out more of the devices in country areas.

The performer founded Heart of the Nation after suffering a cardiac arrest while The Wiggles were on stage for a bushfire fundraising concert in 2020.

Page credited his survival to the fact an off-duty nurse had access to a defibrillator at the concert.

Some 24,000 Australians die each year from the condition and only 1 in 20 people who have cardiac arrest outside of hospital survive.

However, Page is hopeful survival rates can improve.

“Those crucial minutes before an ambulance arrives are when CPR and an AED need to be used to dramatically increase a person’s chance of survival,” he said.

Heart Foundation chief executive David Lloyd believes the memorandum of understanding signed by the organisations will enhance efforts to push for more devices.

“The 60-year strong history of the Heart Foundation combined with Heart of the Nation’s energy and determination to help more Australians survive out-of-hospital cardiac arrests will help to enhance efforts to place more defibrillators where they are needed most,” Lloyd said.

– AAP