Victoria | Smartphone FireReady app a hit at expo for CFA
Seymour Alternative Farming Expo | 22 Feb 2012
Huge interest in the new FireReady app was a highlight of last weekend’s CFA display at the Seymour Alternative Farming expo, with large screen demonstrations of the app attracting crowds of onlookers.
“I was staggered by the response we got to the live demos,” said Alex Caughey, a Hume community education coordinator who has been involved with the event for 10 years.
“A lot of people had the app already but weren’t aware of how to modify the settings to receive information about their local area. Many others had no idea an app existed and downloaded it then and there on their smartphones.
“We also demonstrated a new VicTraffic app which can also be personalised to provide information on road closures or incidents close to your current location,” Mr Caughey said.
CFA Hume region has had a presence at the event, which attracts around 45,000 visitors, since 2002 and this was one of the most successful years yet in terms of the number of people wanting to talk to CFA about fire safety or volunteering.
“Township Protection Plans proved to be an important conversation starter for us. People became interested as soon as they saw the name of their town,” said Alex.
“We displayed 48 different TPPs including a handful from districts 2, 13 and 14 and noted down whenever we had a chat that lasted five minutes or more.
“All in all, we had at least 130 people come up over the three days who were really keen to get into a proper conversation about their TPPs and they could use them to develop household bushfire plans,” Alex said.
Victoria | Port of Portland haz mat incident update
Port of Portland | 20 Feb 2012
CFA is continuing to monitor a hazardous materials incident at the Port of Portland.
Audio of an interview given by Deputy Chief Officer John Haynes with Mixx FM at 1.30pm today is available here.
120220 CFA DCO John Haynes by cfavic
The Liquid Pitch Facility is currently leaking at 4 tonnes per hour with a total of 250 tonnes of bitumen spilled so far.
There are currently no toxic vapours in the air but CFA continues to monitor the situation with 6 monitoring stations set up in the local area.
The latest advice can be viewed on the CFA Website.
CFA will be hosting two community meetings for business owners and other community members from 7pm at the Fawthrop Community Centre, Hood Street Portland.
Those seeking information prior to and after the meetings are urged to call the Victorian Bushfire Information Line 1800 240 667.
While the Port remains closed, businesses on the Portland foreshore have resumed trading and the Visitor Information Centre has reopened.
A Community Information trailer has been situated on Bentinck Street opposite the cafes and copies of a community newsletter are available.
There are a number of road closures and access to the boat ramp is closed. There is no access for recreational activities and vessels.
Sandbagging has been conducted at the incident scene to protect critical assets including pump house and heater.
A ship is being sent from Newcastle to Portland to empty a portion of the tank.
Consultation with EPA has resulted in a backhoe been brought in to remove the material that has solidified and relocate it via skips to an appropriate area.
CFA firefighters are in attendance, supported by Victoria Police, DSE, Vic SES, Glenelg Shire, Rural Ambulance Victoria, Port of Portland, Koppers Australia and technical specialists from Portland Aluminium.
CFA expect activity at the site to continue for several days.
Resources on scene:
28 Breathing apparatus wearers in the day time;
18 Breathing apparatus wearers in the night time;
13 Appliances;
6 Monitoring stations
Road closures:
Lee Breakwater Road and Cliff Street, Cellana Road and Madeira Packet Road, Southern end of the Lee Breakwater Road, Boat Ramp and Marina, Greenmount Lk and Wellington Road
Victoria | Trial of single emergency website
VIC | 17 Feb 2012
The Fire Services Commissioner is sponsoring a trial of a single integrated website, which will test the concept of one website providing emergency information to the public.
The initiative came about after the February 2009 bushfires, when it was suggested that the community should have access to information relating to emergency events through a single, integrated website. This was also a recommendation of the Victorian Flood Review, endorsed by the Victorian Government.
The Community Emergency Information Website trial, emergencyvic.info, was launched in December 2011 and will run to April 2012, when the content, design, layout and functionality and feel will be evaluated. There is a feedback function built into the website to capture feedback as the trial progresses, and the community is encouraged to use the site and leave feedback.
The website is designed to provide near real time information about a range of emergencies attended by agencies including SES, CFA, MFB and DSE. It will also display information from other sources including social media updates and images taken from CFA’s FireReady app.
Emergencyvic.info does not contain community warnings and does not replace the agencies’ websites during the trial; emergency service organisations’ websites continue to be the primary source of emergency information and warnings. It’s important to remember that websites are just one source of information for the community. Emergency services agencies continue to use other communication tools to inform the community, such as the media, emergency broadcasters, social media and through the formal warning systems in place.
When the trial concludes, an evaluation of feedback will be conducted to determine the next steps with emergency services agencies and government. In the long term, a single integrated website could address the issue of community members having to go to multiple websites for information.
Victoria | Portland hazmat incident continues for a second day – Shelter in place orders
Port of Portland | 19 Feb 2012
Eleven CFA crews, continue to work for a second day to control a liquid pitch spill at a facility at the Port of Portland, with neighbouring residents advised to keep their windows and doors closed and air conditioners turned off.
For latest advice and warnings see the CFA website.
Photos posted on Facebook by local resident Brad McCluskey
More than 250 tonnes of the heated material, used in the production of aluminium, has spilled into a bunded area within the facility, after the inner lining of a 30000 tonne insulated tank ruptured around 2.45 pm Saturday.
Due to the inaccessability of the leak and the temperatures of the material, it’s likely to be several days before the spill is controlled.
While smoke issuing from the scene has subsided, chemical vapours are still eminating prompting an advice message for Portland residents, which can be found on the CFA website.
A southerly wind is expected to push the vapours across the harbour into the bay.
A number of roads and the nearby boat ramp have been closed and aquatic activities such as fishing in the harbour should be avoided.
There are likely to be unavoidable disruptions to business and recreational activities over the coming days.
Victoria Police, DSE, Vic SES, Glenelg Shire, Rural Ambulance Victoria and technical specialists from Portland Aluminium are supporting CFA.
Victoria | Man injured after eight metre fall from third floor balcony in West Melbourne
West Melbourne | 17 Feb 2012
A man survived an eight metre fall from a third floor balcony in West Melbourne this morning.
The 35 year-old man landed on the footpath after the fall, at 3.20am.
Intensive care paramedic Mark Campbell said the man’s fall was broken by a tree.
‘We were told the man was leaning over a balcony and fell, dropping about eight metres,’ Mr Campbell said.
‘It appears he crashed through a large tree on his way down which helped slow his fall.
‘It’s possible the man was briefly unconscious after he hit the ground.
‘He had severe back pain and cuts and grazes to his arms and legs.
‘We put a neck brace on the man in case he damaged his spine in the fall.
‘He was then given pain relief medication and was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital in a stable condition,’ Mr Campbell said.
Victoria | Two people seriously injured after head-on RTC at Dixons Creek
Melba Highway | 17 Feb 2012
Paramedics treated a man and woman at Dixons Creek this morning after the cars they were driving collided on the Melba Highway.
Advanced life support and intensive care paramedics were called to the scene just after 7am.
Paramedic Michela Clarke was one of the first on scene and said that the man, a 59-year-old, had suffered the most serious injuries.
‘There was a considerable amount of damage to the front and driver’s side of his hatchback.
‘He was in severe pain through his chest and one of his arms.
‘His chest injuries were the greatest concern and we suspected that he may have suffered internal injuries as he wasn’t getting the normal amount of air into his lungs.
‘The man had also suffered facial injuries.
‘A drip was used to give him fluids to stabilise his blood pressure as well as pain relief drugs to help make him more comfortable. A splint was also placed on his injured arm to support it.
‘Because of the nature of his injuries and our distance from a major trauma centre, we called for an air ambulance helicopter to transport him to the Alfred Hospital.
‘He was in a serious but stable condition.
‘The woman who was driving the other car had suffered a head injury. She had a large lump on her head and was having trouble remembering what had happened.
‘We suspect that she may have also suffered at least one fractured ankle.
‘Her toddler son was in the back of the car and thankfully he was properly restrained and escaped any obvious injury.
‘They were taken to Maroondah Hospital by road.
‘Thankfully no one was trapped following this crash, but we were very grateful to have the extra assistance of police and CFA at the scene,’ Ms Clarke said.
Victoria | Three people injured in 15-vehicle crash in Melton South
Western Freeway, Ferris Road | 16 Feb 2012
Paramedics are amazed only three people were hurt in a 15 car collision at Melton South this evening.
Advanced life support paramedics from Melton were called to the Western Freeway near Ferris Road just after six o’clock.
Advanced life support paramedic Tina Henley said they arrived to find cars and debris strewn across the road.
‘The majority of cars collided nose-to-tail with cars and wreckage stretching almost a kilometre along the road,’ Ms Henley said.
‘One vehicle ended up in a culvert beside the road.
‘Another car was shunted across oncoming traffic.
‘It was quite challenging working out who was injured, and who had stopped to help given the large number of people involved.
‘Another three advanced life support ambulances were called in to assist with assessing the drivers for injuries.
‘In the end three people were hurt, suffering mainly neck and back injuries.
‘Two were taken to Western Hospital sunshine and the third person went to Western Hospital Footscray in a stable condition,’ Ms Henley said.
Victoria | Man injured after falling through shed skylight in Kurunjang
Kurunjang | 15 Feb 2012
Paramedics treated a man at Kurunjang this morning after he fell through a shed’s skylight.
Advanced life support and intensive care paramedics were called to the scene just before 9am.
Intensive care paramedic Andrew Lougheed said that the 61-year-old was conscious but confused.
‘We were told that he was dismantling a shed when he fell through a skylight and landed on a concrete floor below,’ Mr Lougheed said.
‘He apparently hit his head but thankfully didn’t lose consciousness.
‘He had a deep cut to his forehead and other bruising and swelling to his face.
‘We also believed that he suffered a dislocated right knee.
‘We reassured him and gave him pain relief through an inhaler to make him more comfortable.
‘A bandage was then used to dress the wound to his forehead and because of the possibility that he’d suffered a spinal injury in the fall we also took precautions to protect his spine.
‘A drip was used to give him more pain relief as well as anti-nausea medication. Often people who have suffered a head injury also feel like they are going to vomit.
‘A splint was used to support his injured right leg. He also had possible pelvic injuries so we also used a splint to support the area.
‘He was given more pain relief and was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a serious condition,’ Mr Lougheed said.
Victoria | Man critically injured in high-impact RTC with extrication in Alphington
Heidelberg Road, Grange Road | 15 Feb 2012
A semi trailer and a car collided in Alphington this afternoon leaving a man in a coma.
Two advanced life support ambulances, three single responder intensive care paramedics and a paramedic team manager were called to the collision at the intersection of Heidelberg and Grange Roads at 3.30pm.
There was extensive damage to the car and paramedic team manager Brian Russo said a man was trapped in the passenger seat.
‘The damage to the passenger side of the car was significant,’ Mr Russo said. ‘It involved the side of the car being pushed in with damage to the roof and windscreen. MFB assisted to help remove the man aged in his 20’s.
‘Paramedics stabilised the man and then intensive care paramedics sedated and paralysed the man and inserted a breathing tube into his lungs to assist his breathing. He was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital in a critical condition,’ Mr Russo said.
A 20 year-old woman from the car suffered a cut to the lip and was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital in a stable condition.
Victoria | Man attacked by swarm of bees in McKinnon
McKinnon | 15 Feb 2012
Paramedics treated a man at McKinnon on Monday after he came under attack from a swarm of bees.
Advanced life support paramedics were called to the scene just after 2.30pm and arrived seven minutes after the emergency call was made.
Paramedic Simon Hardwick said that the 60-year-old man had been mowing grass when he was attacked.
‘He said that he was on a ride-on mower when the swarm attacked around his head, neck and forearms,’ Mr Hardwick said.
‘We removed a total of eight stings. As we assessed him, he told us that he was also experiencing mild pain to his chest so we treated him with aspirin and a patch designed to treat angina-related pain
‘He was given pain relief through an intravenous cannula to make him more comfortable before he was taken to the Alfred Hospital in a stable condition,’ Mr Hardwick said.