Greek Australian father’s preventable death exposes Triple Zero failures

A Victorian coroner has recovered the decease of Greek Australian father-of-three Nick Panagiotopoulos could person been prevented if exigency calls for an ambulance had been answered successful time.

As reported by The Age, Panagiotopoulos, 47, called Triple Zero connected 16 October 2021 aft experiencing crisp thorax pains. Calls from him, his household and a neighbour were not answered promptly by an ambulance call-taker, with 16 minutes and 5 seconds passing earlier 1 of the calls was answered and an ambulance was dispatched.

Victorian Coroner Catherine Fitzgerald recovered Panagiotopoulos’ cardiac apprehension would person been “treatable and survivable” had the exigency telephone system responded within the required timeframe.

Ambulance calls are expected to beryllium answered within 5 seconds.

Paramedics arrived astir 4 minutes aft being dispatched, but Panagiotopoulos was not breathing and had nary pulse, contempt CPR efforts by his wife, Belinda Nicolazzo, and a neighbour.

Fitzgerald said Victoria’s exigency ambulance call-answering system “effectively failed” for an 18-month play during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving thousands of radical waiting too agelong for help.

“In Nick’s case, the system that was designed to prevention him failed, and his decease could person been prevented,” the coroner found.

An autopsy recovered Panagiotopoulos died from an acute myocardial infarction, commonly known arsenic a bosom attack.

His widow said the coronial findings confirmed what the household already knew, describing his decease arsenic “so evidently avoidable”.

The Victorian authorities said it was reviewing the findings and pointed to much than $600 cardinal invested since '22 to strengthen the service. Triple Zero Victoria said it had recruited and trained much call-takers and made operational and structural changes.

The coroner recommended Emergency Services Minister Vicki Ward reappraisal the oversight relation of the Inspector-General for Emergency Management to guarantee monitoring of Triple Zero Victoria is sufficiently protective and aligned with champion practice.