Have your say on a 'first responder program'
Wednesday, 31 January 2007 10:00
Ambulance response times in the western suburbs of Brisbane have consistently been appalling and endangering the lives of local residents in emergencies and it appears likely have contributed to some tragic outcomes for local residents. Click here to have your say on a first responder program.
I have continually raised this serious problem with the Government in the parliament and in the media. Although the Government claim to have provided some extra resources the improvements are clearly unacceptable to us.
See the table below for the latest ambulance response times in emergencies;
| 2003/04 | 2004/05 | 2005/06 | 2006/07 YTD as @ 27.10.06 | |
| Kenmore/Chapel Hill | 73.11% | 73.42% | 74.68% | 57.24% |
| Paddington/Bardon | 63.73% | 69.27% | 62.13% | 60.27% |
| The Gap/Ashgrove | 51.16% | 54.94% | 50.00% | 47.60% |
| I’Pilly/Fig Tree Pocket | 64.95% | 75.76% | 70.59% | 62.83% |
| Bellbowrie/Moggill/Brookfield | 24.50% | 22.56% | 21.16% | 27.14% |
Clearly I will continue to fight to raise this issue and fight to have an acceptable emergency service for local residents and I do not believe we should accept this poor performance.
In the meantime I am concerned that lives continue to be at risk in emergencies such as heart attack, electrocution, drowning and vehicle accidents in our local area. One measure that has been used and may be available in our area to try to save lives is what the Government refers to as “a first responder program”.
This is a program where local volunteers are trained and equipped by the Queensland Ambulance Service to respond immediately to emergencies. They would be given training on what to do when they are the first in attendance at various emergencies and would be equipped with defibrillators, first aid gear and some drugs.
It is not the same as having an ambulance however it is a program that may well save lives in our local area given that ambulances do not arrive in code 1 emergencies within the prescribed time for around three quarters of all calls.
It is important that I know whether such a program would have local support. If there is strong local support I will be pursuing this matter vigorously with the Government.
So, please tell me whether you would support such a program locally and also give me any comments that you may have in relation to ambulance response times and in particular, if you would be interested in being trained to participate in such a program. You can vote to have your say be clicking here.
It is only by the community showing it is concerned about this issue that will enable me to pursue the matter so I do urge you to respond and encourage your friends, neighbours and families to do the same.
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