Romsey Fire Brigade has joined the list of 50 CFA brigades that are trained and ready to respond to select medical Triple Zero (000) calls.
The brigade has been training with Ambulance Victoria for months in preparation for the program, which will complement the Ambulance Victoria Service in the local area.
Under the joint initiative, CFA and Ambulance Victoria personnel will be despatched simultaneously to cardiac arrests.
Captain of Romsey brigade, Russell Miller, said the decision to join the program was an easy one to make given the benefits it would provide the Romsey community.
“What this program means is that community members who call for an ambulance may receive both a firetruck and an ambulance.
There is no specific order in which the services arrive to the incident.
“I think this is a great initiative that helps the community in time of great need.”
Captain Miller said the lifesaving efforts the brigade could assist with enhanced the great work of local Ambulance Victoria crews in the community.
Ambulance Victoria acting executive director of regional operations, Michael Georgiou, said Victoria had the best cardiac survival rate in Australia and was second only to Denmark worldwide, thanks to high rates of early intervention.
“Victoria remains the safest state in Australia to go into cardiac arrest with Ambulance Victoria initiatives, such as the FMR program, saving lives,” Michael said.
By upskilling CFA brigades to provide life-saving intervention, particularly in areas where a fire truck may reach a patient sooner than an ambulance, we can get people the care they need faster.
“FMR makes a real difference – when patients experiencing cardiac arrest are shocked by an Automated External Defibrillator before paramedics arrive, an incredible 63 per cent survive. This is compared to just seven per cent when there was no bystander CPR or AED use,” Michael said.
Romsey is one of 50 CFA brigades involved in the new program. Romsey Fire Brigade is ready to respond to 000 calls.