Ambulance Victoria
Encyclopedia
Since 1 July 2008 emergency ambulance
services in Victoria have been provided by a single provider known as Ambulance Victoria. It was formed from the three previous providers of emergency ambulance services: the Metropolitan Ambulance Service (MAS), Rural Ambulance Victoria (RAV), and the Alexandra District Ambulance Service (ADAS).
Ambulance Victoria has undergone significant reform since the merger. The organisation was engaged in a prolonged wage negotiation with the Ambulance Employees Australia - Victoria union, that was resolved in September 2009. Ambulance Victoria also become a political topic for the November 2010 state election with both sides of parliament offering large increases in numbers of paramedics and additional services.
In April 2008 Premier John Brumby and Health Minister Daniel Andrews announced a record funding boost of over $185m, including two new helicopter services, 26 new ambulance stations and over 300 new paramedics. In addition to this, it was also announced that the very way the state's ambulance services work was proposed to be changed with Metropolitan Ambulance Service and Rural Ambulance Victoria becoming one organisation, Ambulance Victoria. On 26 May this decision was confirmed, with one service to commence operation on 1 July.
In 2008/09 Ambulance Victoria responded to 720,891 incidents. This consisted of 436,037 emergency cases and 284,854 non-emergency patient transports.
Ambulance communications functions include 000 Emergency call-taking, non-emergency patient transport requests, and ambulance dispatch
for emergency and non-emergency vehicles. Modern emergency services communications is highly advanced, and communications staff use a wide range of technologies including digital and analogue radio
, telephones, pagers, and advanced computer and GPS systems. Many emergency services vehicles, including ambulances, are fitted with mobile data terminals that enable them to view information, read messages sent by call-takers and dispatchers, and be notified of updates immediately as they become available.
Currently Ambulance Victoria operates
with helicopters based in the major Rural centres.
HEMS 1 (previously Air 495) is a Eurocopter Dauphin
twin engine helicopter and is shared by AAV and the Victoria Police
Air Wing and primarily operates within 175 km of Melbourne and is capable of carrying two stretcher patients.
HEMS 2 is a Bell 412
based in the La Trobe Valley.
HEMS 3 is a Bell 412 based in Bendigo.
HEMS 4 is a Bell 412 based in Warnambool
HEMS 5 is a Bell 412 for specialist medical retrieval based at Essendon
s from its Essendon headquarters and can reach most of Victoria within an hour. They are used mainly for transporting patients from rural towns to the major hospitals in Melbourne and can carry two stretcher patients and two walking patients. This service includes bringing people to Melbourne for regular treatments such as oncology and dialysis while also facilitating acute medical conditions requiring surgery or the transfer of injured patients from rural hospitals to specialist care. The service now reaches to more than 86 towns within Victoria while also servicing southern New South Wales, northern Tasmania and some parts of South Australia.
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
services in Victoria have been provided by a single provider known as Ambulance Victoria. It was formed from the three previous providers of emergency ambulance services: the Metropolitan Ambulance Service (MAS), Rural Ambulance Victoria (RAV), and the Alexandra District Ambulance Service (ADAS).
Ambulance Victoria has undergone significant reform since the merger. The organisation was engaged in a prolonged wage negotiation with the Ambulance Employees Australia - Victoria union, that was resolved in September 2009. Ambulance Victoria also become a political topic for the November 2010 state election with both sides of parliament offering large increases in numbers of paramedics and additional services.
History
Formal ambulance services have operated in Victoria since 1899. Over the years services were provided by St John Ambulance, Civil Ambulance Service and a multitude of local area ambulance services. In the 1980s the Metropolitan Ambulance Service was formed from a number of smaller area services and 16 regional services were amalgated into five. In 1997 this was then consolidated down to one rural service, Rural Ambulance Victoria.In April 2008 Premier John Brumby and Health Minister Daniel Andrews announced a record funding boost of over $185m, including two new helicopter services, 26 new ambulance stations and over 300 new paramedics. In addition to this, it was also announced that the very way the state's ambulance services work was proposed to be changed with Metropolitan Ambulance Service and Rural Ambulance Victoria becoming one organisation, Ambulance Victoria. On 26 May this decision was confirmed, with one service to commence operation on 1 July.
Operations
Ambulance Victoria has over 2,700 operational paramedics located at more than 250 ambulance stations across Victoria.In 2008/09 Ambulance Victoria responded to 720,891 incidents. This consisted of 436,037 emergency cases and 284,854 non-emergency patient transports.
Communications
Ambulance Victoria's Emergency Communications are handled by Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA), Metropolitan from Burwood and Regional from Ballarat. Non-Emergency (Patient Transport) Communications are currently handled from AV's own Ballarat Comms Centre until later in the year when this too will be transitioned to ESTA.Ambulance communications functions include 000 Emergency call-taking, non-emergency patient transport requests, and ambulance dispatch
Dispatch (logistics)
Dispatch is a procedure for assigning employees or vehicles to customers. Industries that dispatch include taxicabs, couriers, emergency services, as well as home and commercial services such as maid services, plumbing, HVAC, pest control and electricians.With vehicle dispatching, clients are...
for emergency and non-emergency vehicles. Modern emergency services communications is highly advanced, and communications staff use a wide range of technologies including digital and analogue radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
, telephones, pagers, and advanced computer and GPS systems. Many emergency services vehicles, including ambulances, are fitted with mobile data terminals that enable them to view information, read messages sent by call-takers and dispatchers, and be notified of updates immediately as they become available.
Vehicles
- Mercedes 318 Sprinter (Rural areas only)
- Mercedes 316 SprinterMercedes-Benz SprinterThe Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a light and heavy commercial vehicle, built by Daimler AG of Stuttgart, Germany as a van, chassis cab and minibus, and sold as a Mercedes model, except in the U.S. where it is built from complete knock down kits and was sold by Freightliner until 2010 when Mercedes...
(old edition slowly being phased out, new edition being phased in) - Mercedes 315 Sprinter (slowly being phased in)
- Mercedes 416 Sprinter (Support, Bariatric and other specialised units)
- Iveco ACCO Medium Truck (Communications Support)
- Ford F350 (Used in rural areas, though there are a few in the metropolitan areas)
- Ford Territory (MICA CBD Single responder)
- Holden Adventra (MICA CBD Single responder)
- Subaru Forester
Air Ambulance Victoria
Air Ambulance Victoria is based at Essendon AirportEssendon Airport
Essendon Airport is located at Essendon, in Melbourne's northern suburbs, Victoria, Australia. It is located next to the Tullamarine Freeway on , from the Melbourne Central Business District and from Melbourne Airport.-History:...
with helicopters based in the major Rural centres.
Helicopters
Air Ambulance Victoria helicopters designated HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) currently operate throughout the state. .HEMS 1 (previously Air 495) is a Eurocopter Dauphin
Eurocopter Dauphin
The Eurocopter SA 365/AS365 Dauphin 2 is a medium-weight multipurpose twin-engine helicopter manufactured by Eurocopter .-Design and development:...
twin engine helicopter and is shared by AAV and the Victoria Police
Victoria Police
Victoria Police is the primary law enforcement agency of Victoria, Australia. , the Victoria Police has over 12,190 sworn members, along with over 400 recruits, reservists and Protective Service Officers, and over 2,900 civilian staff across 393 police stations.-Early history:The Victoria Police...
Air Wing and primarily operates within 175 km of Melbourne and is capable of carrying two stretcher patients.
HEMS 2 is a Bell 412
Bell 412
The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212 model, the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.-Design and development:...
based in the La Trobe Valley.
HEMS 3 is a Bell 412 based in Bendigo.
HEMS 4 is a Bell 412 based in Warnambool
HEMS 5 is a Bell 412 for specialist medical retrieval based at Essendon
Fixed-wing aircraft
The Ambulance Service Air Wing operates four Beechcraft B200 King AirBeechcraft Super King Air
The Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation . The King Air line comprises a number of model series that fall into two families: the Model 90 series, Model 100 series , Model 200 series and Model 300 series...
s from its Essendon headquarters and can reach most of Victoria within an hour. They are used mainly for transporting patients from rural towns to the major hospitals in Melbourne and can carry two stretcher patients and two walking patients. This service includes bringing people to Melbourne for regular treatments such as oncology and dialysis while also facilitating acute medical conditions requiring surgery or the transfer of injured patients from rural hospitals to specialist care. The service now reaches to more than 86 towns within Victoria while also servicing southern New South Wales, northern Tasmania and some parts of South Australia.
External links
- www.ambulance.vic.gov.au
- www.colacambulance.com/
- Ambulance Historical Society Victoria website/ (Ambulance Vehicles, Videos, Photographs and other Ambulance Memorabilia)