South Australians with first aid training can now sign up to receive smartphone notifications about cardiac emergencies near them, with the state's ambulance service expanding the GoodSAM system to help save even more lives.
Within seconds of a Triple Zero (000) call, the GoodSAM app notifies registered responders to a person in cardiac arrest. The responder can accept the call for help and head to the scene to provide emergency care while an ambulance is on the way.
GoodSAM launched in SA in December with SA Ambulance Service (SAAS) staff and volunteers the first to sign up as responders, later joined by registered health practitioners and tertiary healthcare students, bringing the sign-up tally to more than 1000 GoodSAM responders so far.
Two lives have been successfully saved though a GoodSAM response, with the patients surviving beyond hospital discharge - including a toddler in Kadina who had off-duty ambos arrive within minutes to deliver life-saving compressions and care.
The two-year-old went into cardiac arrest in June after a BBQ smoker fell on him. Two off-duty SAAS volunteers accepted the GoodSAM alert and arrived quickly to provide vital help until paramedics arrived soon after.
The other case involved a man in his 50s who suffered a sudden cardiac arrest and was assisted by two off-duty SAAS staff who were able to gain access to a nearby community defibrillator.
Since December, more than 40 GoodSAM responders have arrived on scene to help someone in cardiac arrest. Hundreds more have accepted alerts, but their attendance has been cancelled due to an ambulance arriving first.
The expansion of GoodSAM to now allow members of the public with first-aid training to sign up will further boost responder numbers and the chances of survival when cardiac arrests occur in the community.
GoodSAM is an additional layer in helping someone in cardiac arrest. It does not alter the SAAS response to cardiac arrests, which continue to be the highest priority with SAAS always sending the closest available crew in an emergency.
As put by Chris Picton
Every second counts in an emergency and the GoodSAM app has already helped save the lives of two South Australians in cardiac arrest.
SA is incredibly fortunate to have so many GoodSAM responders who have put up their hand to help when a cardiac emergency strikes.
Expanding the program to allow members of the public with first-aid training to now sign up will help save even more lives.
Your help has the potential to make a real difference and I urge everyone who can to join.
As put by Executive Director, Critical Operational Services, Kate Clarke
At SAAS, we regularly see people with first-aid or medical training assisting South Australians in medical need while an ambulance is on the way. We are incredibly fortunate to have so many people with these skills and the Good Samaritan instinct to help in an emergency.
GoodSAM is improving the chances of early intervention when cardiac arrests occur in the community and is helping save lives in the vital minutes before an ambulance arrives.
We are now accepting registrations from the public with first aid training. After they register, their details will be subject to verification before they are approved as GoodSAM responders.
GoodSAM responders will only be alerted to suspected cardiac arrest cases and their role is to provide CPR while ambulances are on the way, along with defibrillation if an AED is available.
As put by St John Ambulance SA Chief Executive Officer, Mark Groote
Seconds count in a cardiac arrest, and saving lives is always a team effort.
We trained almost 40,000 South Australians in first aid in the last financial year, and we are proud to support SAAS and GoodSAM to get lifesaving help to people in cardiac arrest, while an ambulance is on its way.
We will be encouraging our staff, volunteers and first aid training participants to become GoodSAM responders.
