Lives will be saved as NSW becomes the first state in the country to install state-of-the-art mechanical cardio-pulmonary resuscitation devices in all frontline ambulance units.
Health Minister Ryan Park said more than 1,000 ‘LUCAS’ devices, which deliver automated, consistent compressions to a patient’s chest, have been installed in every NSW Ambulance Sprinter vehicle across the state.
“Losing a loved one to a sudden cardiac arrest is devastating, and the NSW Government is committed to giving front line paramedics the resources they need to have the best chance at saving a life,” Mr Park said.
“NSW Ambulance is the first in the country to have life-saving LUCAS devices in every frontline ambulance vehicle, allowing our paramedics to deliver life-saving care from the moment they arrive at the scene to the moment they arrive at hospital”.
“This investment means every patient, no matter where they are in the state, now has access to life-saving technology when they need it the most.”
Mr Park said the devices have been rolled out following a successful two-year study involving 1300 paramedics, as well as doctors and nurses from 15 hospitals across Sydney and Wollongong.
“Simply put, having the LUCAS machines in ambulances will save lives,” Mr Park said.
“Each year we know more than 8,500 people across NSW experience out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, yet only about one in 10 survive”.
“For every minute that a patient is in cardiac arrest and not receiving effective CPR or defibrillation their chance of survival drops by 10 per cent.”
Jo Haylen, Member for Summer Hill, whose electorate includes the Haberfield Ambulance Station, said it provided the community comfort in knowing paramedics can deliver state of the art emergency care.
“These are game-changing devices and I’m so pleased the Minns Labor Government has finished the job and secured them for every ambulance in the inner west and across NSW,” said Ms Haylen.
NSW Ambulance Chief Executive Dr Dominic Morgan said the devices will support paramedics to deliver lifesaving treatment until they reach hospital.
“These devices free-up paramedics so they can concentrate on administering other life-saving treatment for the patient,” Dr Morgan said.
“Putting these machines in ambulances means fewer families will have to suffer the heartbreak of losing a loved one to cardiac arrest.”
