COMMISSIONERS EMAIL Colleagues, Please see below message of great importance regarding firefighter safety. Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) I have an increasing concern for the wellness of our operational Firefighters especially in relation to potential heart attacks on the fireground. For a number of years the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service (QFRS) has become increasingly aware of the potential lifesaving benefit to firefighters of the inclusion of Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) as a standard piece of first aid equipment on fire appliances. Therefore I am removing any restrictions to the placement of Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) on QFRS vehicles. In the past QFRS has received donated AEDs from the public and community organisations to be fitted to local fire appliances, however, these have generally been located in training rooms, office and fire station walls. I recommend that this AED equipment is now placed on appliances. It is also noted that there are already a number of AEDs already installed on Rural fire appliances. Training Training in the use of AEDs is included in both the National Health Package Apply First Aid and Apply Advanced Resuscitation Techniques and are mandatory qualifications for all firefighters Acquisitions and skills maintenance in the use of AEDs is to continue as a component of regular training/maintenance programs. Rationale It is widely recognised that firefighters have exposures to workplace factors that may be associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes such as: Fire/smoke; increased heart rates; heavy physical exertion; and heat stress. Each year almost 10,000 Australians die of heart attack which equates to one life every 53 minutes and one in four people who die from a heart attack die within the first hour of their first symptom. Internationally, the leading cause of mortality in on-duty firefighters is sudden cardiac death. In recent times AEDs have become simpler to use and have gained wide acceptance in the general community as a necessary piece of first aid equipment. The QFRS position is that AEDs should be readily available to firefighters on the fire ground if required. Purchase/accepting donations There is no allocated budget to enable wholesale purchase of large quantities of AEDs and as such there will be a gradual increase in the number of AEDs on appliances. If Assistant Commissioners determine to purchase AEDs for specific locations, QFRS have access to a Standing Offer Arrangement for a suitable make/model of AEDs and further information will be circulated regarding accessing this SOA. QFRS currently have a Mutual Assistance Agreement with QAS which clarifies the current response protocols between the QFRS and the QAS. I encourage Assistant Commissioners to support any offers for donation of AEDs and for ACs to evaluate these offers on an individual basis. I trust that you will find widespread support for this additional capability for firefighter safety. Please ring either myself or A/DC Mark Roche if you have any questions regarding this approach. Regards Lee A Johnson AFSM MIFireE Commissioner | Queensland Fire and Rescue Service
Posted on: Fri, 30 Aug 2013 04:54:06 +0000
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