Minister for Health, Ryan Park is appealing to the community to sign up to GoodSAM – a free, potentially lifesaving program.
GoodSAM works by using an app to alert registered responders when someone near them goes into cardiac arrest and a Triple Zero (000) call has been received. Responders can opt whether or not to accept the alert and respond, while at the same time, an ambulance is dispatched.
Anyone who feels able to provide chest compressions can join and the more people who register to be a GoodSAM responder, the better because it increases the odds that someone nearby can provide immediate CPR and save a life if someone is in cardiac arrest.
Mr Park said the internationally recognised program has improved survival rates for people who have a cardiac arrest outside of hospital.
“By integrating with the Triple Zero (000) dispatch system, the GoodSAM app alerts registered volunteers that someone nearby needs CPR,” he said.
“The NSW Ambulance Emergency Medical Call Taker will step the volunteer through providing CPR, while paramedics are on the way.”
NSW Ambulance Acting Commissioner David Dutton said research showed the first minutes after someone suffered a cardiac arrest, were the most crucial to survival and everyone could help.
“When someone goes into cardiac arrest outside of hospital, they only have an 11 per cent chance of surviving, but the survival rate improves significantly if chest compressions begin in the first few minutes,” he said.
Register at ambulance.nsw.gov.au/goodsam.
Join GoodSAM to improve cardiac arrest survival
FOR every minute that a person is in cardiac arrest, their chance of survival drops by seven to 10 per cent but with the support of the community, a new program will give them a better chance of survival.
