Special Operations team deployed to Central Queensland fires
On Sunday 18 October 2009, Ambulance Duty Officer for Special Operations
received a request from the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) to provide
medical support to their two interstate taskforce teams, being
deployed to central
Queensland.
The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service (QFRS) requested the assistance of the RFS interstate taskforce after their crews had been actively involved in fire fighting since July. QFRS Assistant Commissioner, Superintendent Neil Gallant, stated “the fire season on Queensland’s Capricorn Coast had been the most unusual fire season in known history, with humidity down to as low as 3 per cent. The momentous conditions ensured that the fires remained extremely active and had breached the containment lines threatening the cities of Bundaberg and Rockhampton, thus prompting the interstate request”.
Two Ambulance Special Operations teams were organised at short notice for immediate deployment with the RFS teams, responding to the threatened areas in Central Queensland.
The Ambulance Special Operations teams worked alongside Queensland Ambulance teams, providing a remote area fire fighting medical response capability. In total, one Special Operations team was deployed to Rockhampton and three teams, on rotation, were deployed to Bundaberg.
Photograph: NSW Ambulance, Queensland Ambulance and Rural Fire Service staff
at Rockhampton.
Ambulance is committed to assisting the community create safer and healthier environments and outcomes by making prevention everyone’s businesses. A number of innovative community education programs have been implemented to assist identify life threatening conditions, understand what to do in an emergency and the importance of adopting illness prevention strategies.