A GoodSam volunteer’s quick response to a cardiac arrest incident in New South Wales has highlighted the app’s life-saving potential since its launch earlier this year. The app, which began operating in NSW in 2023, alerts nearby volunteers to individuals suffering from heart attacks, enabling them to provide critical CPR assistance before paramedics arrive.
Ashlin Fisher, a GoodSam volunteer, received an alert about Geoff Percival’s cardiac arrest while she was just one kilometer away. So when the notification of the accident came in, Fisher picked up and headed to the scene immediately. She began administering CPR on Percival, and he attributes her quick response as key to his survival. The actions of Fisher and the surrounding paramedics were quick and effective. They got there in under two minutes, which is pretty remarkable, thanks to how the GoodSam program works.
The GoodSam Initiative
The GoodSam app is completely free and open to anyone 18+ that is trained to perform CPR. Users get notified when someone with a cardiac emergency is in their vicinity and can respond with help before emergency medical responders can arrive. Perhaps most strikingly, over 9,600 volunteers have signed up to the program within just the state of NSW. The GoodSam app is already creating an impact in South Australia and Victoria. It just goes to show how fast it is spreading its tentacles across the country.
As Monika Sitkowski, project officer with GoodSam, explains, “It’s the grassroots nature of this approach that really makes it powerful.” We know that for every minute someone doesn’t receive CPR, their chances of survival decrease by 7 to 10 per cent,” she stated. The app addresses that vital gap, the period between when a cardiac arrest event occurs and when professional medical attention arrives. It makes sure that help gets there in the fastest time possible.
A Life-Saving Response
It is stories like Fisher’s that showcase the impact early intervention can have. Once she reached Percival’s side, she asserted control over the scene. “I explained to her as much as I could who I was, what I was … I had her put the phone on loudspeaker … and pretty quickly I no longer had to make any substantive decisions myself,” Fisher reflected. Over the line, she was guided by the operator through doing chest compressions, counting along with the Triple-0 operator.
Fisher continued CPR and communicated with the operator. The operator coached her through every stage of the process until the paramedics got there. “We’ve got a GoodSam here? OK, alright … we’re up to 300 compressions, I need you to keep going until that ambulance arrives,” the operator instructed. The grounding of an experienced volunteer like Fisher was critical in stabilizing Percival’s condition until professional medical aid could take over.
Community Impact and Future Goals
The impact of the GoodSam app extends beyond individual cases. It promotes community safety and encourages residents to be proactive in emergency situations. Sitkowski remarked on the significance of early CPR: “It’s about saving your neighbours. It’s about saving your friends and family. There’s a huge increase in survival when you’ve got early CPR to that person in need.”
Geoff Percival, co-founder of Beagle Freedom Project, voiced his sincere appreciation that Fisher stepped in. “I just think it was so lucky that she was able to respond … I think Ashlin is quite significant in the fact I’m still here,” he said. Yet his partner did the heavy lifting—he performed CPR until Fisher could arrive. This exemplifies the heroic teamwork it takes to save lives on an emergency response scene.
NSW Ambulance is working to have a GoodSam volunteer on every street. This campaign will increase schools’ odds of getting immediate assistance when they face a sudden cardiac emergency. St John Ambulance are rolling out similar measures in Western Australia. It is making community-based, grass roots life-saving initiatives more possible than ever before, right across Australia.
