Lloyd Robinson has been reunited with the people who saved his life after he suffered a cardiac arrest at his Pyalong home.
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Lloyd was chopping down trees at his property with his son Matthew on June 13 when he suddenly felt breathless and collapsed.
Matthew immediately called Triple Zero (000) and initiated CPR before neighbour Brian Moffat, an Advanced Life Support (ALS) Paramedic, GoodSAM Responder and CFA volunteer, responded to a GoodSAM Alert on his phone.
GoodSAM is a smartphone app that connects Victorians in cardiac arrest with people who know CPR and Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in the critical minutes before paramedics arrive.
Lloyd, 73, had been clearing his property of fallen trees, with the help of his son after storms swept through Victoria at the start of June.
“Matthew was using his chainsaw, chopping up about a dozen trees we had lost, and handing them to Lloyd. When he went to hand a piece to him, Lloyd had collapsed,” Lloyd’s partner Deb said.
“I hadn’t realised what was going on, and I didn’t notice that Matthew’s chainsaw had been switched off, because there were chainsaws being used all around us..
“On hearing Matthew shouting, I immediately raced outside and was about to take over CPR from him, when Brian arrived, saying he was an off-duty paramedic.”
Lloyd and Deb had recently moved into Pyalong, and they didn’t know their neighbour Brian, but were so grateful when he took over CPR from Matthew, who had done an exceptional job while following the 000 call-taker’s instructions.
“We don’t live on a through-road, so I was surprised Brian was attending to Lloyd, and I wondered how he had found out about the case; then I learnt about the GoodSAM App,” Deb said.
Brian said, Matthew’s quick thinking, calling 000 and effective CPR contributed to a positive outcome.
“I really commend Lloyd’s son who quickly recognised that CPR needed to be done and immediately started effective chest compressions,” Brian said.
“Pre-hospital care in Victoria is world class, but it all starts when a bystander steps in and starts compressions. Once someone starts CPR, the chances of survival for a cardiac arrest doubles.”
A cardiac arrest occurs when a person’s heart suddenly stops beating and Brian said that early CPR and defibrillation are critical steps that help save the lives of people in sudden cardiac arrest.
“Anyone can save a life in three simple steps. Call, push, shock: call Triple Zero (000), push hard, push fast on the middle of the chest, shock using an AED,” he said.
An AED is a light weight, battery operated, portable device.
“You may have already seen AEDs in other places you have visited, including shopping centres, sporting clubs, gyms, and even workplaces,” Brian said.
“Once I arrived at Lloyd’s property, and took over CPR, I got Deb to use my phone to call four members of the local CFA who I volunteer with, to bring the AED to the job - one of them did which was great and then in addition to this, Jack, Brendan, Ben and Jackson assisted with CPR and helped to load Lloyd into the ambulance.”
Brian applied the AED, shocked Lloyd once and successfully restarted his heart. Brian said the result of Lloyd’s case was incredible.
“This was a fantastic outcome for Lloyd, and really and truly, is a good example of the positive difference that bystander CPR and applying an AED can make – it’s amazing,” he said.
Since 2018, more than 50 lives have been saved thanks to GoodSAM responders. So far, more than 14,000 Victorians have signed up to GoodSAM, but more responders are needed around the state.
“Anyone can save a life by downloading the GoodSAM App and knowing how to perform chest compressions or CPR,” Brian said.
“You don’t have to have experience or a medical background, you just have to be willing and able to do hands-on CPR, be over 18 years of age and have access to a smartphone.”
In metropolitan areas, GoodSAM responders will only receive an alert if they are within 500 metres to the person in cardiac arrest. In remote regional areas, responders will receive an alert if they are within 5 kilometres of the person in cardiac arrest.
“As a GoodSAM responder, you will be given the address of the patient, along with the location of the closest AED (if one is available), so you can begin lifesaving care while an ambulance is on its way,” Brian said.
“An AED is used to analyse a person’s heart rhythm and if required, it can shock a person’s heart back into a functioning rhythm.”
Lloyd was flown by air ambulance from the Pyalong Cricket Oval to The Royal Melbourne Hospital where he was admitted to the coronary care unit.
Two days later Lloyd was transferred to Western Private Hospital and then had an internal defibrillator inserted, before being discharged within the week of suffering his cardiac arrest.
“It was absolutely amazing to see everyone working together; we’re so thankful we are Ambulance Victoria members,” Deb said.
“Lloyd has had a fright, but he’s realised how lucky he is to have survived, thanks to Matthew starting CPR, Brian responding so quickly, the CFA volunteers who delivered the AED and helped with CPR and of course the Ambulance Victoria paramedics.”
For more information on GoodSAM, including how to sign-up, visit heartrestarter.com.au
Ambulance Victoria strongly encourages everyone to register their AED at ambulance.vic.gov.au/register
For more information about CPR, visit ambulance.vic.gov.au/cpr