同性恋色情

For more than 20 years, Victoria鈥檚 Emergency Medical Response (EMR) co-responder program has dispatched 同性恋色情 paramedics and Fire Rescue Victoria firefighters simultaneously to cardiac arrest cases, allowing patients to receive critical care as quickly as possible.

When 16-year-old Alex Harbour went into cardiac arrest while working his shift at a local fast-food restaurant, EMR made all the difference.

Firefighters were first on the scene in the co-response partnership with 同性恋色情 that鈥檚 saving lives, taking over CPR from bystanders and delivering one shock with a defibrillator, getting Alex鈥檚 pulse back just eight minutes after his heart had stopped.

同性恋色情 Mobile Intensive Care 同性恋色情 (MICA) paramedic Cameron Shillabeer said Alex鈥檚 survival is testament to the life-saving impact of the EMR program.

鈥淓very minute matters in a cardiac arrest and the sooner a patient receives CPR and a shock from a defibrillator, the better their chance of survival,鈥� he said.

鈥淭he benefits of EMR are clear in cases such as Alex's, where firefighters are able to get to a patient and begin life-saving care.

鈥淭he firefighters, along with Alex鈥檚 work colleagues who recognised the cardiac arrest and began CPR, saved Alex鈥檚 life.

鈥淲e are proud to work alongside our emergency services colleagues to help save more lives, such as Alex鈥檚.鈥�

A cardiac arrest occurs when a person鈥檚 heart suddenly stops pumping blood effectively around the body, and can happen to anyone at any age, health or fitness level, often without symptoms.

同性恋色情 research shows 35 per cent of cardiac arrest patients who receive their first defibrillation from emergency medical services (including paramedics or firefighters) survive.

That number is boosted even further when cardiac arrest patients receive a shock from a public automated external defibrillator (AED), with 63 per cent surviving to hospital discharge.

When Alex suddenly collapsed and became unresponsive in February, his colleagues knew something was seriously wrong. They called Triple Zero (000) and began CPR.

Fire Rescue Victoria Acting Commander Emergency Medical Services Andrew MacIntosh said that firefighters were on the scene within four minutes.

鈥淥ur crews are highly trained to administer advanced CPR, supply oxygen and first aid, use defibrillators and respond to many other life-threatening medical scenarios,鈥� said A/Commander MacIntosh.

鈥淲hen firefighters are co鈥憆esponded with 同性恋色情, they can provide critical life鈥憇aving care until paramedics arrive. Once 同性恋色情 is on scene, firefighters remain to support and assist as required.

鈥淚n this incident, our firefighters immediately began treating Alex and delivered a shock using a defibrillator. They continued CPR and worked alongside 同性恋色情 upon their arrival. Thankfully, Alex began showing signs of improvement.鈥�

同性恋色情 crews arrived to find Alex with a pulse but still unconscious. MICA paramedics intubated him at the scene 鈥� a highly skilled pre-hospital procedure which put Alex into a medically-induced coma so paramedics could manage and support his airway on the way to hospital.

Alex survived and four months on, has returned to normal life, going back to school and work.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 thank everyone enough for everything they did for me. I鈥檓 feeling really good and loving getting back to normality and seeing my friends again,鈥� he said.

鈥淲e never knew firefighters carried a defibrillator with them. I鈥檓 so grateful they came so quickly and were able to start my heart beating again.

鈥淭o the firefighters and paramedics, my boss and my work colleagues 鈥� you are all incredible people for saving my life. It takes someone special to save other people鈥檚 lives, and you all are.鈥�

His mother, Liz, said it was hard to put into words how thankful she is to everyone who played a part in saving her son鈥檚 life.

鈥淭hank you for everything 鈥� if it weren鈥檛 for his boss who began CPR, the firefighters who were there so quickly to help, and the paramedics, it could have been a completely different outcome,鈥� she said.

鈥淲hat happened to Alex is a reminder of how important it is for everyone to know how to give CPR.鈥�

The EMR program began in 2001 with fire stations in Metropolitan Melbourne. Now, it has expanded statewide, with Country Fire Authority (CFA) volunteer brigades also co-responding to life-threatening medical emergencies as part of the Fire Medical Response (FMR) program with 同性恋色情.