Hamilton Fire Brigade is one of 20 brigades trained and ready to respond to select medical Triple Zero calls as part of a new program that commenced in late 2024 and has been progressively rolled out across country Victoria.
The new Fire Medical Response (FMR) program is a joint initiative between CFA and Ambulance Victoria that will see CFA brigades and Ambulance Victoria dispatched simultaneously to cardiac arrests. Ultimately, 50 brigades across the state will provide this service.
Hamilton Brigade Captain Malcolm Anderson said the decision to join the program was an easy one to make given the benefits it will provide the Hamilton community.
"Our members already have a great working relationship with Ambulance Victoria, responding together to various incidents. We see this program as a logical and valuable extension," Malcolm said.
"By co-responding trained brigade members to cardiac arrest calls alongside Ambulance Victoria crews we hope to get responders to patients sooner and improve the chances of survival.
"What this program means is that community members who call for an ambulance may receive both firefighters and Ambulance Victoria crews. There is no specific order in which the services may arrive at the incident. Our ultimate aim is to get to the patient as quickly as possible."
Hamilton brigade members have been training with Ambulance Victoria paramedics in preparation for the program which will complement Ambulance Victoria's service in the local area.
"We have undergone extensive training with 12 members completing the FMR program and will be available to respond once we go live at the end of May," Malcolm said.
CFA Acting Chief Officer Garry Cook said the program was a natural fit for CFA because of the 52,000 volunteers across the state.
"CFA has more than 1,100 volunteer fire stations with nearly 52,000 members," Garry said.
"This puts CFA in a unique position to complement Ambulance Victoria's response in 50 locations across Victoria to help deliver early intervention to cardiac arrests."
Ambulance Victoria Executive Director of Regional Operations, Danielle North, said Victoria's cardiac survival rates are one of the best in the world, thanks to high rates of early intervention.
"The Fire Medical Response program will improve survival rates for people in rural and regional Victoria," Danielle said.
"Quick intervention with CPR and a defibrillator has the greatest impact on improving a patient's chances of surviving a cardiac arrest."
