CODE RED Assist Ambulance – No Chargeable Codes on AFAs
November 28, 2020
FRNSW breaks agreement on Assist Ambulance – NO CHARGEABLE CODES ON AFAs
Back in September we issued a Code Red regarding Ambulance Assist. We later met with FRNSW who in response to our concerns gave the following undertakings:
All Assist Ambulance calls are to go through the Rescue Coordinator until further notice
FRNSW and ANSW will work on a policy document dealing with incident control and procedures at Assist Ambulance calls (FBEU and HSRs to be consulted)
FRNSW firefighters are to tag any problem experienced at an Assist Ambulance Call which will then be resolved at the FRNSW/ANSW Joint Operations meeting
The FBEU Code Red Ambulance Assist instruction was lifted (see Sitrep 36) in response to the undertakings given. On 20 November 2020, Deputy Commissioner Fewtrell communicated to all staff essentially reneging on the agreed position.
This announcement was made despite the fact that there continues to be concerns about Assist Ambulance calls, especially when stations are being turned out to jobs prior to ambulance staff even being on scene. There are no clear protocols in place around how the calls are received or coordinated and as members you remain vulnerable.
The Department underhandedly broke an agreed settlement. In light of this and their unwillingness to keep the status quo until HSRs and the FBEU have been properly consulted, we now issue the following instruction which is to be adhered to.
Effective immediately, members are hereby instructed to only use the below codes when sending a stop message at an AFA. This instruction remains in place until further notice from the State Secretary.
Code 100 – (Actual fire reported by fire system)
Code 702 – (Alarm operated due to extreme weather conditions-rain, storm, lightning, thunder, dust, flood, rainwater leaking onto detector, etc)
Code 706 – (Council or water supply authority causes pressure fluctuation through water mains)
Code 707 – (Alarm operated due to power surge/spike or short circuit, blackout)
Code 751 – (Smoke detector operated – smoke from external source e.g. bushfire)
Code 762 – (Unintentional alarm e.g. accidental activation of Break Glass Alarm or Manual Control Point, damaged sprinkler head not attributed to owner/occupant)
Code 902 – (COVID – cause unable to be determined)
