The BlackBerry has been turned into a life-saving tool by the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service.

In July, the service began a new protocol of beaming electrocardiogram readings of their patients to the BlackBerrys of cardiologists. That allows doctors to coach paramedics through life-saving decisions as patients are transported by ambulance.

Statistics show the program — a joint initiative between the service and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority — is lowering mortality rates and speeding up treatment times, said Dr. Rob Grierson, the service's medical director.

"If you look at the death rate for people with heart attacks about a year ago, systemwide within the city, it was about eight per cent. Well, right now … we are looking at about a two per cent mortality rate."

Since last July, about 90 people were treated under the new program, said Grierson. Two have died.

"Every year, we are going to treat about 200 of these people or thereabouts, and to be able to treat them like this and to be able to save that many lives and basically take people who might have been cardiac cripples after a heart attack, and to leave them with a normal heart — well, you can't ever put words to that," said Grierson.