Pyalong father thanks son, neighbour, paramedics and firefighters

A Pyalong man is alive thanks to his son, a neighbour, paramedics and firefighters.

Lloyd Robinson, 73, was clearing his property of fallen trees after storms swept through Victoria at the start of June when he suddenly collapsed in cardiac arrest in front of his son, Matthew.

Matthew, who immediately called Triple Zero (000), initiated effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and alerted Lloyd’s partner, Deb, who was also at the property.

Within minutes, neighbour Brian Moffat – an Advanced Life Support (ALS) Paramedic and CFA volunteer – responded to a GoodSAM Alert on his phone.

“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 Lloyd but Lloyd had collapsed,” Deb said.

“On hearing Matthew shouting, I immediately raced outside and was about to take over CPR from Matthew, when Brian arrived, saying he was an off-duty paramedic.

“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.”

GoodSAM is a life-saving 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.

Since 2018, more than 50 Victorian lives have been saved thanks to GoodSAM Responders.

“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.”

Brian said Matthew’s quick thinking in calling 000 and giving effective CPR contributed to Lloyd’s 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.

“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,” 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 in the minutes before an emergency ambulance arrived.

“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.

“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 as a GoodSAM Responder, the CFA volunteers who delivered the AED and helped with CPR and of course the Ambulance Victoria paramedics,” Deb said.