The Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board (formerly the MFB), adopted a new set of radio codes when they moved their operations centre in with the Country Fire Authority.  Now both brigades operate out of the same office so as to avoid communication problems they had during larger fires that both services had deployed units to.  Before, if there was a large fire that both services had to attend and units were giving a word back on the status of the fire, the MFESB operator would have to either call or run out of
the office to find out what was happening with the CFA operator.  Now they are in the same room.
The CFA have not yet adopted the new MFESB codes, but I understand that it is in the cards to happen eventually.

The MFESB, now fully operates the First Responder system. This means that specially trained MFESB fire fighters will be called out to certain types of medical incidents such as road accidents, heart attacks etc. The MFESB units have an MAS radio installed into each first responder vehicle.

Below is a photo of the kit used in the trial.

"The First Responder concept is oriented toward basic life support and reversing sudden death or sustaining survival over the first few minutes of a medical emergency. First Responder systems therefore, are an adjunct to the EMS services provided by the existing ambulance services. It will continue to be the role of the ambulance service to provide holistic pre-hospital patient care.

The MFESB is already involved in the EMS by providing first aid at emergency scenes when
required. First Responder training and equipment would improve the delivery of such care.

When ambulance officers arrive first, or as soon as ambulance officers join fire fighters on scene, the role of MFESB Emergency Medical Responders changes from provision of a first response to
provision of assistance to ambulance officers as requested and as other constraints allow.

Scope of Practice

The scope of practice for a First Responder response has been determined by the steering
committee to be, " solely focused on the unconscious/non-breathing patient (which implies a high
probability of cardiac arrest) to whom the simultaneous dispatch of MAS and MFESB resources
would occur immediately on a routine basis". The scope of practice will focus on the initial
management of the patient in cardiac arrest, including defibrillation using a shock- advisory
defibrillator and the use of oxygen and assisted ventilation in resuscitation.

Because some patients responded to by MFESB will not be in cardiac arrest, the training scope of
practice also includes management of the scene and provision of initial first aid unit MAS arrive.

The Functions of MFESB

Within the above scope of practice, the functions of the MFESB First Responder’s are seen as:

To provide an emergency medical response when so dispatched by MAS according to protocols agreed to between MFESB and MAS under arrangements approved by the Minister for Health.
At the scene of medical emergencies, to provide emergency care as follows:

to assess dangers and to control these, if appropriate, in order to prevent additional injury to
the patient and to minimise risks to emergency personnel;

to gain access to the patient;

to rapidly assess whether there is any immediate life treat to the patient (i.e.
dangers/response/airway/breathing/circulation) and, if so, to provide any immediate
emergency life support required, including use of a shock advisory defibrillator, within the
limitations of the officer’s training and equipment and as circumstances allow;

where there is no immediate life-treat to the patient, to assess for other major clinical
problems and initiate first aid, as appropriate, while waiting for the MAS response;

to relay information about the scene and the patient to MAS and the oncoming ambulance,
when appropriate;

to remain with the patient and provide ongoing care as circumstances allow;

to hand patient care over to MAS officers as soon as MAS officers arrive on scene and to
remain to assist where requested if practicable.
 

to maintain the MFESB equipment necessary for this emergency medical response.

to gather and record operational, patient care and implementation pilot information according
to the requirements of the MFB and the pilot program.

To maintain and ethical approach to patient care and to respect patient confidentiality at all
times.

to maintain and further develop emergency medical First Responder skills through active
participation in the MFESB EMS quality assurance and continuing education programs, and to
undertake emergency medical responder re-accreditation and re-certification, as scheduled by
the MFESB.

Skill Set & Equipment

The skill set required for the MFESB First Responders is limited to those with major value in the first
few minutes only. First Responders are trained in First Aid skills including the performance of
patient primary survey and vital signs survey, skills of airway suction, oropharyngeal airway
insertion, oxygen administration in both spontaneous breathing and intermittent positive pressure
ventilation mode and fitting of cervical collars. Defibrillation using simple, computerised
semi-automatic defibrillators will also be an integral part of the First Responder – EMS program.

This skill set is consistent with the First Aid procedures for which the Australian Resuscitation
Council (ARC) includes under guidelines for first aid provision by advanced First Aid and
"community First Responders".

First Responders will not be trained to diagnose or to administer any drugs. An ambulance would
always be responded simultaneously with a First Responder unit and First Responder responsibility
for patient care would be handed over to ambulance crew immediately they arrived.

The equipment carried by First Responders is as follows-

        1.1 x semi-automatic defibrillator
        2.1 set of cervical collars
        3.Disposable gloves
        4.1 x first aid kit with pads, bandages, scissors, etc
        5.1 x oxygen resuscitation kit which includes oropharyngeal airways, child and adult
          resuscitation equipment, oxygen therapy, suction and Bag Valve Mask
        6.1 x blanket
        7.Miscellaneous hygiene/waste management equipment

 Training and Certification

Training is based upon curriculum developed by the MFESB in conjunction with the Ambulance
Officer Training Centre (AOTC) and a wide range of medical advisers. The course is accredited by the State Training board, Victoria, 

and delivered by the AOTC in association with the Metropolitan Ambulance Service.

Course duration is 8 full days’ instruction with a 3-year certification upon satisfactory completion.

A formal on-going continuing education / skill maintenance training is required, with formal annual re-certification in critical skill areas 

such as CPR, defibrillation and oxygen resuscitation in accordance with Australian Resuscitation Council guidelines."

mfesb channels

Channel	Frequency	Description
1	467.775	Central/North
2	467.475	West
3	466.875	South
4	466.275	Fire ground
5	465.975	Fire ground
6	465.675	Fire ground
7	465.375	West
8	465.075	Technicians
9	469.575	Simplex
10	469.900	Simplex

mfesb radio codes

611	Wrong location
612	Vicinity alarm (incident in another location)
621	Smoke scare, odour of smoke
622	Steam vapour, fog or dust thought to be smoke
624	Controlled burning.
625	BBQ
626	Burglar alarm
609	Good intent call not classified above
711	Malicious false alarm
721	Bomb scare, no bomb. Includes parcel resembling a bomb
734	Sprinkler malfunction
735	Smoke detector malfunction
736	Heat detector malfunction
737	Fire Indictor Panel in normal condition on arrival
739	Malfunction not classified above
741	Sprinkler malfunction - no monitoring company
742	Smoke detector malfunction - no monitoring company
743	Heat detector malfunction - no monitoring company
751	Smoke detector operated
752	Heat detector operated
762	Accidental operation of alarm
763	Failure to notify of alarm test
764	Incorrect test by service company personnel
769	Unintentional alarm, not classified above

 station locations

1	Eastern Hill	27	Nunawading
2	West Melbourne	28	Waverly
3	Carlton	29	Clayton
4	Brunswick	30	Templestow
5	Broadmeadows	31	Wheelers Hill
6	Pascoe Vale	32	Ormond
7	Thomastown	33	Mentone
9	Somerton	34	Highett
10	Richmond	35	Windsor
11	Epping	38	Sth.Melbourne
12	Preston	39	Port Melbourne
13	Northcote	40	Laverton
14	Bundoora	41	St Albans
15	Heidelberg	42	Newport
16	Greensborough	43	Deer Park
17	Hawthorn	44	Sunshine
19	Nth Balwyn	45	Spotswood
20	Box Hill	46	Altona
22	Ringwood	47	Footscray
23	Burwood	48	Taylors Lakes
24	Malvern	49	Laverton Nth
25	Oakleigh	50	Ascot Vale
26	Croydon	51	Keilor
		52	Tullamarine