A 57-year-old man who went into cardiac arrest at a marine supplies business in Mona Vale was treated in the driveway by paramedics and a specialist ECMO team before being taken to hospital in a critical condition.
Repeated Cardiac Arrests Bring Specialist Team to Mona Vale
NSW Ambulance and NSW Police were called to the Wilmette Place business shortly before midday on Monday, 3 August, after reports that a man had collapsed.
Three ambulance crews attended, including NSW Ambulance supervisors Ree Lane and Patrick Dale. They found the 57-year-old in cardiac arrest and began resuscitation immediately.
Paramedics were able to restore a weak pulse several times, but his heart repeatedly stopped again. Ongoing resuscitation was needed while Supervisor Lane confirmed the need for the specialist ECMO team, which had also been sent from Sydney Olympic Park.
The team is part of a NSW Ambulance clinical trial for cardiac arrest patients. It includes two doctors and critical care paramedics who attend cardiac arrest scenes and perform emergency medical interventions outside hospital.
Patients typically considered for the service are aged between 18 and 70, have experienced a witnessed cardiac arrest, received immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation and have not responded effectively to usual treatment.
ECMO Equipment Supports Prolonged Cardiac Arrest Care
The specialist team carries extracorporeal membrane oxygenation equipment designed to circulate and oxygenate blood during a prolonged cardiac arrest.
Blood can be moved outside the body through the machine, where carbon dioxide is removed and oxygen is added before it is returned to the patient, helping maintain oxygen supply to vital organs.
At the Wilmette Place business, the medical team and paramedics carried out emergency treatment in the driveway. The man remained unconscious throughout the response, and a machine was also used to support his breathing.
While crews worked to stabilise him, units from Northern Beaches Police Area Command and Traffic and Highway Patrol Command arrived at the scene. Police were observed planning an escort route to hospital.
Police Escort to Northern Beaches Hospital
Once the man was stable enough to be moved, he was placed in an ambulance from Avalon Station. The ambulance left shortly after 1pm with a police escort and reached Northern Beaches Hospital shortly before 1:30pm.
The man was taken into emergency medical care at the hospital. He remained in a critical condition on Tuesday, 4 August.
Published 7-August-2026
