Members of the Stawell Fire Brigade
Horsham, Stawell and Ararat are today among 20 CFA brigades trained and ready to respond to select medical Triple Zero calls, as part of a new initiative between CFA and Ambulance Victoria.
The Fire Medical Response (FMR) program will see CFA brigades and Ambulance Victoria dispatched simultaneously to cardiac arrests. Ultimately, 50 brigades across the state will provide this service.
CFA District 17 Assistant Chief Fire Officer Chris Eagle said the program is a perfect example of how CFA's strong community footprint can help save lives.
"Our brigades are deeply embedded in our communities – we're nearby, we're trained, and we're ready," Chris said.
"This program gives us another way to support our communities and make a tangible difference in those first few critical minutes."
CFA District 16 Assistant Chief Fire Officer Steve Alcock said local members had been preparing for months ahead of today's launch.
"We've undergone extensive training with 12 members completing the FMR program, and we're now ready to respond as part of the live rollout," Steve said.
"Co-responding to cardiac arrest calls with our trained brigade members working alongside Ambulance Victoria crews allows us the opportunity to get to patients sooner and improve the chances of survival."
CFA Acting Chief Officer Garry Cook AFSM said the program was a natural fit for CFA.
"Over coverage across Victoria puts us in a unique position to complement Ambulance Victoria's response in 50 locations across the state to help deliver early intervention to cardiac arrests," Garry said.
Ambulance Victoria Executive Director of Regional Operations, Danielle North, said Victoria's cardiac survival rates are among 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."
