Launch of ‘First Steps’ campaign to help new parents in a medical emergency
On Monday 31 August 2009, the Chief Executive of Ambulance, Mr Greg Rochford, officially launched
the ‘First Steps’ campaign – a campaign that Ambulance has specifically
designed for new parents to assist them to call Triple Zero (000)
for an Ambulance in a medical emergency.
In 2008, NSW Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages recorded 94,750 babies born. Of this nearly half (43%) are to first time parents.
Witnessing a medical emergency for anyone is undoubtedly very stressful. When a parent is confronted with a child unresponsive, not breathing or unconscious, the situation and fear is heightened when the patient is a newborn or toddler.
The ‘First Steps’ campaign is an Emergency Phone Card that outlines information required by Ambulance Call Takers so that an ambulance can be dispatched quickly. It also gives parents and carers the information they need to give to attending Paramedics.
“Calling Triple Zero (000) is the one phone call we parents hope we never have to make” said Sarah Murdoch, model and TV presenter. “It is comforting to know that the Ambulance Service of NSW has developed a resource to help ease our anxiety in a medical emergency. Such a simple and great idea!”
The Emergency Phone Card aims to:
- reassure new parents that in a medical emergency they should call triple zero for an ambulance;
- familiarize parents with the questions they may be asked when calling for an ambulance to make the collection of information easier for the Ambulance Call Taker; and
- inform parents of the type of information that paramedics will require when they arrive on scene to help treat the child
The Emergency Phone cards are available through the Bounty ‘New Mother Bags’ which are distributed by nurses or hospital staff to all mothers during their stay in both public and private hospitals. It is also available at all midwife managed birth centres in NSW to capture any homebirths.
Parents can download additional copies of the card for free from the Ambulance Website - First Steps emergency Phone Card [PDF 253KB]
> Richard Glover from ABC Radio spoke on the 'First Steps' campaign
Ambulance is committed to assisting the community create safer and healthier environments and outcomes by making prevention everyone’s businesses. A number of innovative community education programs have been implemented to assist identify life threatening conditions, understand what to do in an emergency and the importance of adopting illness prevention strategies.