Ambulance Victoria and CFA crews trained together to improve their inter-operational
capabilities.
CFA crews from Mornington Fire Brigade were recently given the opportunity to train with Ambulance Victoria, familiarising themselves with working alongside paramedics.
During an emergency such as a road accident, CFA crews will often work together with Ambulance Victoria crews.
Mornington Fire Brigade 1st Lieutenant Mark Hebblethwaite said, “It was great to familiarise ourselves working with an ambulance as there are times where we might be asked by our Ambulance Victoria colleagues to retrieve a saline bag or a stretcher.”
The training included a 15-minute presentation followed by an hour of hands-on training where brigade members could remove and replace items in the ambulance.
“The stretcher can be retrieved with very little effort as the wheels come down automatically when taken out from the ambulance, meaning you won’t have to bend down to extend the wheels. This also reduces response time,” Mark said.
“Knowing where things are stored and being able to properly retrieve them is important as it speeds up the process of helping the patient, which could be the difference between life and death.”