Sat, 3rd, Oct, 2026: Jordan Emery, Chief Executive Officer of Ambulance Victoria; Shocktober! Cultural Reform & Internal Trust

Every day in Victoria, more than 20 people suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The difference between life and death often comes down to the actions taken in the first critical minutes before an ambulance arrives. Joining us today is the Chief Executive Officer of Ambulance Victoria, Jordan Emery. We’ll be talking about Shocktober and why bystander CPR saves lives, as well as the steep challenges facing frontline paramedics—from workplace safety and hospital ramping to rebuilding organisational culture and internal trust. Jordan, welcome to Saturday Magazine on JOY 94.9.

“Call, Push, Shock.” Cardiac arrest survival drops by roughly 10% for every minute CPR is delayed. Early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) before paramedics arrive more than doubles a patient’s chances of survival.  In 2024-25, Victoria achieved its highest cardiac arrest survival rate, with 44.4 per cent of patients surviving a witnessed cardiac arrest to hospital discharge^ – the best in Australia and second best worldwide. But only 152 cardiac arrest patients in Victoria received a shock from a public AED before paramedics arrived. Data shows women are half as likely to receive a shock from an AED than men, due in part to the stigma around removing clothing to expose the bare chest and apply AED pads. AED pad-to-skin contact is really important. Simply follow the diagrams on the AED pad covering and place one pad below the collar bone on the person’s right chest above the breast, and the other on the left side of the person’s chest, below the armpit and beside the breast. You may need to lift the breast to place the pad directly on the ribcage and bare skin.

AV actively promotes the GoodSAM app, which allows the Triple Zero (000) call taker to connect patients in cardiac arrest with a nearby volunteer who is willing to begin hands-only CPR while paramedics are on their way. There are currently more than 18,600 GoodSAM Responders across the state, but we always need more. Paramedics regularly face verbal abuse, threats, and physical assault while performing life-saving duties. Occupational violence drives stress, burnout, sick leave, and early departures from the paramedic profession.

Ramping occurs when ambulances are delayed outside emergency departments because hospital beds are full, keeping crews from responding to incoming 000 calls.

Impact: Affects Category 1 and Category 2 response times across metropolitan and regional Victoria, placing intense pressure on call-takers, dispatchers, and paramedics on duty.

How AV works with Victoria Department of Health, hospital networks, and priority primary care clinics to divert non-emergency cases away from EDs.

Culture, VEOHRC Review & Organizational Trust; Independent reviews by the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC), alongside legislative inquiries, revealed systemic issues within Ambulance Victoria, including bullying, discrimination, sexual harassment, victimisation, and a lack of psychological safety. CEO Transition: Jordan Emery stepped into the CEO role following a period of executive turnover, charged with leading cultural reform, restoring workplace confidence, and restoring staff trust.

JOY’s audience values transparency, intersectional equity, inclusion, and accountability. The hosts will want to hear concrete measures—not just policies—showing how AV is actively protecting diverse, marginalized, and vulnerable staff members from systemic misconduct.

 

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