General News
13 October, 2022
Paramedics push cardiac arrest survival campaign, celebrate local GoodSAM responders
Only one in 10 people who suffer a cardiac arrest survive, but Maryborough sisters Gabby and Jess Jones are among those fighting to improve the odds as part of Ambulance Victoria’s Shocktober campaign. Gabby, who works in critical care at Bendigo...
Only one in 10 people who suffer a cardiac arrest survive, but Maryborough sisters Gabby and Jess Jones are among those fighting to improve the odds as part of Ambulance Victoria’s Shocktober campaign.
Gabby, who works in critical care at Bendigo Hospital and Jess, who is a midwife at Ballarat Hospital, have been GoodSAM responders since 2018 and are encouraging residents to sign up.
GoodSAM is a life-saving app that connects those having a cardiac arrest with a nearby volunteer who is willing to start hands on CPR while an ambulance is on the way.
Jess signed up as a GoodSAM responder after one of her colleagues had a cardiac arrest and was saved by an off-duty paramedic and knows the importance of a quick response, with her mum suffering a cardiac arrest when she was 46.
“I have previously worked in this community and I know the paramedics here as well as the health service and greater need for staff since COVID,” she said.
“I know what it’s like to work a shift short staffed and sometimes our ambos turn up as single responders, so getting involved through GoodSAM gives them a second set of hands and has a big impact on outcomes.
“I’d encourage anyone who’s able to do chest compressions to lend their skills to help someone.
“Our mum survived a cardiac arrest at the age of 46, we know the value of bystander intervention when someone goes into cardiac arrest and how it has the potential to save lives.”
The push comes as part of Ambulance Victoria’s Shocktober campaign, aimed at improving cardiac arrest survival rates.
Cardiac arrest happens when a person’s heart suddenly stops beating and stops pumping blood effectively around the body and can happen to anyone, of any age and at any time.
With around 19 Victorians suffering a cardiac arrest every day and survival rates so low, Ambulance Victoria’s Maryborough team manager Mark Passalick said early intervention with CPR was potentially life saving.
“Chain of survival dictates that interventions can actually make a difference in terms of survival when someone has a cardiac arrest so if a GoodSAM responder can get to you and give you CPR before paramedics arrive, your health outcomes improve substantially,” he said.
“This is a chance for someone to save your mum, your dad, your brother, sister and your grandparents’ lives.
“If there are no GoodSAM responders, it lowers your chance of surviving a cardiac arrest in your community so how good is GoodSAM? It’s phenomenal.
“These responders are champions, they go out and improve health outcomes in the community all across Victoria and I encourage everyone to sign up as a responder.”
In the four years since they signed up as GoodSAM responders, Gabby and Jess have become two of the state’s highest frequency responders, turning out to more than 30 cardiac arrest cases locally between them.
Gabby said GoodSAM responders were particularly important locally, with the tyranny of distance in regional areas often delaying paramedic response times.
“I know how important it is to get to someone that has had a cardiac arrest quickly so they can have some good quality compressions,” she said.
“GoodSAM is incredibly important, particularly for remote and rural areas because paramedics cover quite a wide geographic region and it can take time to actually get to a cardiac arrest.
“If someone can provide that assistance before paramedics arrive, it’s vital in saving someone’s life.”
Gabby, along with her sister, are encouraging locals to sign up as GoodSAM responders which they say is not only a way to give back, but also rewarding.
“We’re in a small community and I think this is something small you can give back to improve someone’s chances of survival and recovery,” she said.
“The most rewarding part is seeing the look of relief on people’s faces when you arrive, knowing that someone’s there to help them in their time of distress.
“You don’t have to be a healthcare professional, you don’t have to have any amazing skills — you just need to be able to do chest compressions.
“If you’re able to do compressions download the app, upload your details and you’ll be alerted by phone if there’s a cardiac arrest nearby.”
According to Ambulance Victoria, in the past 12 months there were around 7000 cardiac arrests across the state, marking an increase compared to the previous year.
Both Gabby and Jess are among those who have signed up to be part of Ambulance Victoria’s First Responder Shock Trial (FIRST) initiative, which examines whether equipping GoodSAM volunteers with portable defibrillators will further improve cardiac arrest survival rates.
Under the current system, GoodSam responders are notified of the location of a cardiac arrest and the nearest defibrillator, but in regional areas a defibrillator may not be nearby or readily available.
Mr Passalick said cardiac arrests can happen anywhere at any time and stressed the importance of AEDs being made accessible 24/7 locally.
“You would think it happens to just elderly people but unfortunately that’s not the case, you can be in your 20s or 30s and have a cardiac arrest,” he said.
“We have been pushing for more AEDs to be made accessible 24/7 here in Maryborough and we’ve had some success but there still aren’t enough that are available.”
To learn more about becoming a GoodSAM responder or to sign up, head to www.ambulance.vic.gov.au/shocktober/ and to register an AED visit registermyaed.ambulance.vic.gov.au