Cape Schanck woman reunited with firefighters after cardiac arrest

A Cape Schanck woman who suffered a cardiac arrest has today met with the firefighters who helped save her life.

Helen Robinson thanked the Fire Rescue Victoria and Ambulance Victoria first responders who came to her aid after the incident, including an off-duty firefighter who was first on scene.

Ms Robinson suffered a cardiac arrest on Boneo Road in Rosebud in December last year.

Off-duty FRV firefighter Steve Axup, who is based in Melbourne but was on holiday in Rosebud, was driving past when he noticed two people waving frantically for help, and pulled over to find Ms Robinson unconscious.

He performed life-saving CPR, while a bystander phoned Triple Zero (000).

Firefighters from Rosebud fire station arrived on scene in four minutes, and used a defibrillator to resuscitate the patient, administering the first shock to re-establish a pulse.

Ambulance Victoria paramedics provided further care before transporting her to hospital. Ms Robinson has now recovered, and visited the Rosebud Fire Station to thank the firefighters and paramedics who cared for her.

As part of Victoria’s emergency medical response system, when a priority zero medical emergency for an unconscious, non-breathing patient is called into Triple Zero (000), the nearest FRV appliance and ambulance are co-dispatched.

FRV firefighters are trained to provide emergency medical care to unconscious, non-breathing and pulseless patients. All appliances are equipped with an oxygen resuscitation kit, comprehensive first aid kit and a semi-automatic defibrillation kit.

The Emergency Medical Response program is a great example of FRV and Ambulance Victoria working together to protect the community.

FRV firefighters have been responding to emergency medical incidents for more than 20 years, and in that time our firefighters have saved hundreds of lives that we know about.