By Luke Voogt
Geelong firefighters will save lives in non-fire emergencies if they arrive before paramedics, following intensive first responder training.
In a fortnight CFA will dispatch Geelong trucks to priority Triple 0 calls, where the victim is not breathing, District 7 rostered duty officer Wayne Aylmer explained.
“In the past, if we’ve gone to a call and pulled someone out of a fire, we’ve always performed CPR,” he said.
“But previously if someone collapses at a shopping centre we wouldn’t have responded to that.”
If firefighters arrive first they will set up spine boards and ventilation and administer CPR, oxygen and defibrillation.
“As of 22 August we’ll be live across Ocean Grove, Belmont, Geelong, Corio and Lara,” Mr Aylmer said.
“The ambulance will respond as normal but the fire truck will respond as well. It’s whoever gets there quickest.
“It will become business as usual very quickly.”
The rollout follows local career firefighters taking an intensive 80-hour emergency medical response course over eight days with Ambulance Victoria.
“I did mine a few weeks ago,” Mr Aylmer said.
“It was quite an enjoyable course but it was pretty full on.”
The course built on existing CPR skills firefighters had as first responders at fires, Mr Aylmer said.
CFA was already dispatching firefighters as first responders in other parts Victoria, he said.
“In some parts of the state our guys get there quicker and at other instances they’ll be behind.”
Career firefighter trucks were now equipped with defibrillators to support the new emergency medical responder role, Mr Aylmer said.
