Despite being reasonably fit and healthy, the 65-year-old Hawks Nest resident developed a crushing chest pain while at home one evening.

“It came from nowhere, I was just watching TV. After a few minutes I knew I was having a heart attack and I told my wife who called the ambulance,” he said.

“They arrived within 15 minutes.”

As part of a pre-hospital Thrombolytic project, paramedics in 14 communities from the Mid North Coast and Hunter region are equipped with the latest technology to acquire and transmit a patient’s electrocardiograph (ECG) to a cardiologist, who then confirms the diagnosis. Paramedics can then treat patients with the life saving medications.

John Hunter Hospital’s director of cardiovascular medicine, Peter Fletcher received Mr Morphett’s ECG and was able to direct the paramedics to administer medication to dissolve a blood clot that had formed in Mr Morphett’s heart, causing his heart attack.

Within 15 minutes of Mr Morphett arriving at the Mater Hospital in Newcastle, the clot had disappeared.

Mr Morphett said time is of the essence.

“The earlier the clot can be dissolved, the less damage it has on your heart,” Mr Morphett said.

“This treatment saved me and because I received it so quickly there was little damage done to my heart and therefore I have more quality of life.”

The NSW Ambulance Service is urging people not to delay calling triple-0 as patients have a small period of time to receive the clot busting drug after the first onset of pain.

“Don’t put it off if you feel unwell, don’t wait to see your doctor, just call triple-0,” Mr Morphett said.

What should people with chest pain do?

o Recognise the symptoms: If you develop any kind of chest discomfort, pain, shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness or generally feel unwell, don’t wait. Stop what you are doing and try to relax, if you are with someone tell them what is happening.

o Call 000 immediately: Ask for Ambulance and answer the operator’s questions.

o Respond to the advice from the ambulance operator: All information you give the operator can be relayed to the paramedics so stay on the line and answer all the questions as accurately as you can.