CFA may be best known for fighting fires, but our members respond to thousands of road accidents each year, many of which involve serious injuries or even worse, are fatal.
Last year, CFA responded to more than 5,500 call-outs to road accidents or collisions and extricated more than 350 people from motor vehicles.
More than 80 people have died on Victorian roads already this year.
These incidents have a horrific impact on not only on those who knew the people involved in the crash, but on our members and other emergency service personnel.
I am proud of the work our members do as volunteers and career firefighters, responding to all kinds of emergencies including road rescues, where often they contribute to saving lives.
National Road Safety Week is an annual initiative from the Safer Australian Roads and Highways (SARAH) Group, partnering road safety organisations and Government.
Although National Road Safety Week 2020 has been re-scheduled to November, it's still important to highlight the impact of road trauma and ways to reduce it.
The Road Safety Week website is asking you to take the pledge To Drive so Others Survive:
- I pledge to drive as if my loved ones are on the road ahead.
- I will remove all distractions and never use my mobile phone while driving.
- I will not put other people at risk by speeding, driving while tired or under the influence of alcohol/drugs.
- I will protect all vulnerable road users, especially those whose job places them in harm's way, by slowing down and giving them the space they need to be safe.
Take the pledge on the Road Safety Week website.
Firefighters at all 38 of CFA's integrated and career stations across Victoria recently completed road rescue capability training. This will bolster Victoria's joint approach to road crash rescue, adding to the state's existing 133 locations with this capability provided by CFA, SES and MFB.
Today I remind Victorian drivers to not only keep themselves safe on the road, but to keep an eye out for emergency service workers.
When we're working on the road or side of the road, please help keep our people safe by slowing down to 40 kilometres an hour.
