Kennett cuts emergency services

By Alex Cooper

MELBOURNE -- In the latest round of cuts to community services the Kennett government has targeted the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, Country Fire Authority and the ambulance service.

According to the United Firefighters Union, these cuts will have a disastrous effect. It is estimated that the government will save only $800,000 in the first year.

Melbourne's fire brigade currently can respond to an emergency within minutes of receiving a call. The first round of cuts will reduce the number of telephone and radio operators, thereby increasing response time. This will increase the risk of death and property damage.

Of particular concern are chemical fires and the potential for another Coode Island. Retrenchments will restrict the ability of firefighters to deal effectively with this sort of fire.

Perhaps even more disastrously, the government wants to cut funds to the ambulance service, which is already stretched thinly across the state. Currently there are 21 ambulance branches in Victoria where the volunteer staff have no more than the basic first aid certificate. Another 64 branches are staffed by a single professional officer, which often restricts life-saving operations.

The government plans to cut the ambulance service's present budget of $55 million by $10 million. This has drawn an angry response from the Ambulance Employees Association, whose secretary, John Taplin, said several recent reports had concluded that the service should be extended. This includes a recommendation by the deputy state coroner, Wendy Wilmoth, that funding to the service be increased.

To achieve the $10 million “savings”, it has been suggested that 200 jobs would have to go. Also, the remaining officers would have to become more productive by picking up at least one patient per hour!

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