

An ambulance response of 20 minutes from the initial call and first aid (including CPR) provided by a nurse was unable to save this 11-month-old when he choked at a restaurant. Luckily a LifeVac device was on hand to save his life, with no harm or complications. This situation is a mirror of the case of Decklan Hayward in Orange; extended ambulance response time, and first aid failed (regardless of the expertise of the rescuer), but in this case, a LifeVac was available. The NSW Education Department and Minister Car cannot continue to rely on the excuse that because first-aid measures and emergency response "should have worked" for Decklan, nothing needs to be done to protect students in NSW schools; or that hiding behind a poor understanding of the law, WHS regulations and outdated policies will protect lives and prevent litigation.