​Members of the community are being encouraged to sign up for the free GoodSAM app which could potentially save lives.

Minister for Health Ryan Park said NSW Ambulance bringing the GoodSAM program to the community will give people who are in cardiac arrest a better chance of survival by alerting nearby registered community members who are willing to perform chest compression - also called cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) - until paramedics arrive.

“This is an internationally recognised program which has improved survival rates for people who have a cardiac arrest outside of hospital,” Mr Park said.

“As we all know, every minute counts when someone is in cardiac arrest.

“By integrating with the Triple Zero (000) dispatch system, the GoodSAM app alerts registered volunteers that someone nearby needs CPR.

“The NSW Ambulance Emergency Medical Call Taker will step the volunteer through providing CPR, while paramedics are on the way.

“I am really impressed to hear that since the six-week pilot began involving 1,600 NSW Ambulance clinical and corporate staff four lives have been saved.”

NSW Ambulance Acting Commissioner David Dutton said research shows the first minutes after someone suffers a cardiac arrest are the most crucial to survival, and everyone can 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,” Mr Dutton said.

“For every minute that a patient is in cardiac arrest and does not receive CPR, their chance of survival drops by seven to ten per cent.

“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.

“I’d like to thank the NSW Ambulance workforce for getting behind this program and extend my appreciation to community members, staff and volunteers from our various partners, including other emergency services, NSW Government departments, volunteer organisations and NSW Health stakeholders, who have signed up in the lead up to today.”

In 2022, the NSW Government announced a $2.5 million partnership between NSW Ambulance and the GoodSAM responder app.

The GoodSAM app works by alerting 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.

You can register as a GoodSAM responder if you’re 18 years old or over, and able and willing to perform CPR. Chest compressions are easy and safe to do. You don’t need to have formal first aid or CPR training to sign up. A video is available on the NSW Ambulance website.

To register, please visit NSW Ambulance - GoodSAM.