Page 2198 - Week 06 - Thursday, 6 June 2019
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these individuals, much of which no Australian city would ever be able to replicate or wish to. These remarkable young Australians have already witnessed firsthand the trauma terrorism can bring, having been deployed alongside police to incidents to help care for injured patients. As part of their preparedness, London has specialised ambulance officers who are provided with specialised protective wear and training to enter hot zones during times of an emergency—what others would call a combat situation.
These Australians are to be commended. They are very mature and are already fine leaders, having much more to offer. You may also be interested to learn that almost a quarter of the staff in the London Ambulance Service are Australian.
Our visit allowed me an opportunity to spruik ACTAS and the benefits our city has to offer as one of the most inclusive, connected, diverse and safe cities in the world in which to live and work. In coming years I hope to see these skilled ambulance officers working amongst our ranks within ACTAS and as our future leaders.
My visit also allowed me to gain an insight into the London Fire Brigade. The delegation was able to see firsthand the operations of its control centre. The control centre is wholly operated by professional staff who undergo appropriate training to be call takers, answer calls and dispatch fire and rescue appliances. I understand that this training program is approximately a 10-week course. I was also advised by officials at the control centre that civilians have always operated the centre.
From speaking with staff in the control centre, it is clear that they are very professional in their work and they each take very seriously their responsibilities to support firefighters in the field. It is also clear that the control centres within a fire and rescue context can operate safely and effectively as we move to reform the ESA Comcen in the ACT to free up firefighters to be where they are needed most—out in the community fighting fires and protecting citizens. Like ACT Fire and Rescue, the London service undertakes fire safety campaigns and also advises on fire safety in buildings. The London Fire Brigade also trialled, in 2014-15, a co-responding model where they partnered with other emergency agencies.
In regard to more current innovations, the service is assessing the use of drone technology, considering whether that can help provide better situational awareness during a fire, provide equipment to those in high buildings or be able to more easily provide rescue equipment as well, such as flotation devices, to those in need.
The delegation’s engagement with the London Fire Brigade also included a briefing by and discussion with the assistant commissioner responsible for special operations and his team. These individuals are responsible for engaging with the London resilience framework, including planning and preparing responses to various incidents that might occur. Under their statutory framework the London Fire Brigade has a responsibility to collaborate with other agencies. As part of their preparedness, all fire appliances carry a first-aid kit and all firefighters are trained in basic levels of medical assistance in the event that they are the first at a scene or an incident that requires first aid or medical assistance. Given London’s focus on possible incidents that might occur, which I spoke about earlier, the London Fire Brigade has also developed specialist response teams.
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