Joint initiative to improve cardiac arrest survival rates
December 4, 2024in News
Ambulance Victoria (AV) is working with CFA volunteer firefighters to further improve cardiac arrest survival outcomes and get regional Victorians the emergency medical care they need, sooner.
The new Fire Medical Response program is a joint initiative between CFA and AV that will see CFA brigades dispatched simultaneously to Priority 0 cases alongside the nearest ambulance to provide life-saving care, CPR or defibrillation, and support paramedics.
Paramedics from Ambulance Victoria are practicing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on a manikin.
The nine brigades kicking off the program are Euroa, Tatura, Numurkah, Yarrawonga, Lakes Entrance, Orbost, Bairnsdale, Huntly and Kyneton.
AV’s highly skilled paramedic trainers have trained these CFA volunteers for months to effectively support ambulance response for life-threatening medical emergencies.
A further 19 brigades have enrolled in the program and by the time rollout completes, 50 CFA brigades across Victoria will participate.
Ambulance Victoria Executive Director 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 and make access to emergency care in a cardiac arrest more equitable for all Victorians,” she said.
“Quick intervention with CPR and a defibrillator has the greatest impact on improving a patient’s chances of surviving a cardiac arrest.
“For every minute that CPR is delayed, survival decreases by 10 per cent.”
For every minute that CPR is delayed, survival decreases by 10 per cent.
CFA Deputy Chief Officer Garry Cook said the program was a natural fit for CFA.
“CFA has more than 1,100 volunteer fire stations with more than 52,000 members,” he said.
“This puts CFA in a unique position to complement the Ambulance Victoria response in 50 locations across Victoria to help deliver early intervention to cardiac arrests.”
“What this program means is that community members who call for an ambulance may receive both a fire truck and an ambulance. There is no specific order in which the services arrive to the incident.”
Alongside our existing first responder programs, including our Emergency Medical Response partnership, Community Emergency Response Teams, Remote Area Nurses, GoodSAM app and other initiatives, the FMR program will support AV’s world-class service and further improve patient outcomes in the community.