NEW FIRE BRIGADE MEDICAL RESPONSE GETS HUGE COMMUNITY BOOST

Just prior to Christmas the Martinborough Volunteer Fire Brigade advised that we were starting our new Medical First Response Unit. The members of this unit have each, despite Covid delays, completed over 200 hours of clinical skill, training and Ambulance experience, provided by our training and response partner Wellington Free Ambulance, all gaining a NZ Certificate in Emergency Care.

This means that in a Medical Emergency, our Medical Responders will be dispatched by Wellington Free Ambulance (you still ring 111 and ask for Ambulance), on arrival the Fire Brigade Medical First Responders will provide patient care including medications and ECGs until an ambulance arrives, ensuring our Community receives the best in medical care and patient outcomes. 

This may be in addition to a response from Dr Phillip and the team of PRIME Medical Responders from Martinborough Health Centre, whom we work closely alongside.

To date this has already provided several instances of life saving medications being given prior to the arrival of Wellington Free Ambulance Paramedics, improving health outcomes.

The Martinborough and Districts Ambulance Trust are delighted to announce that with their lease expiring on the land the Ambulance Building is located on, that they have generously donated the Ambulance Building to the Martinborough Volunteer Fire Brigade, for use as a Community Emergency Hub and Medical First Response Station. 

The Medical First Response vehicle, currently our Ford Ranger Incident Support 4 wheel drive, will be based in the garage portion and the remainder of the building will be utilised as an Operations Room during Civil Defence , Major Fire or large Emergency situations. Daily it has other community functions, being utilised by the Martinborough Toy Library, and is available to other community groups. New sign writing will appear shortly on the building to recognise this change in role.

The Martinborough and Districts Ambulance Trust have and continue to support the provision of ambulance or medical response to the town and all the surrounding districts, and will work closely with the Martinborough Fire Medical First Response Unit to ensure we have the very best of equipment available.

“The Martinborough Volunteer Fire Brigade is delighted to have and be able to operate such a valuable asset, and be an integral part in ensuring the best medical outcomes for our community alongside Wellington Free Ambulance ” said CFO Jake Hawkins, and Ambulance Trust Chair Kathryn Ching added that “it was essential for Martinborough and Districts to have this vital medical response capability and the Trust would do everything to ensure that there were no funding obstacles to ensuring this happens, and they would continue to fund medical response capabilities for the benefit of the South Wairarapa communities”

INTERESTED ?? – POSITIONS OPEN

We are looking to recruit more specialist Medical First Responders (you do not have to respond to fires) to add to our core of medical specialists, full training to NZCEC level along with uniform provided, you can choose when you are available and if you are around during daytime even better, 

Firefighters, looking for a challenge, physical fitness, comraderie and comprehensive training ? This is for you.  Email our Chief –  Jacob.hawkins@fireandemergency.nz