OREANDA-NEWS. Local communities now have better emergency response resources thanks to Coal & Allied’s funding of a new vehicle dedicated to being the first on the scene at emergencies in the Hunter Valley.

The Coal & Allied Community Development Fund donated \\$33,500 towards a new four-wheel-drive that will provide initial support in emergencies like motor vehicle accidents, child births or remote farming accidents, before an ambulance or paramedic arrives.

The vital service is provided by Community First Responders, a joint initiative between the NSW Ambulance and the Rural Fire Service.

Hunter Valley Rural Fire Service manager Paul Jones said “Thanks to Coal & Allied, this vehicle is the first of its kind in the Hunter Valley helping us to respond to more emergency calls, faster and more efficiently.

“Having a dedicated four-wheel-drive will greatly improve response times to medical emergencies in the Hunter Valley. Allocating an appropriate vehicle to respond to an emergency situation has been an ongoing challenge for the Rural Fire Service. We have been relying on using fire trucks which are not set up to carry the addition medical equipment.

“Now we can now permanently store lifesaving equipment in the vehicle, provide better access to rural properties, improve communication with other emergency services through new radios with better reception, free-up firefighting vehicles and not be held back with special license restrictions for driving the vehicle.

“It would take us a lot of time and effort to raise sufficient funds for a Community First Response vehicle, which is outside the supplied firefighting equipment, so to receive this donation from Coal & Allied means a lot.”

Newly appointed chair of the Coal & Allied Community Development Fund committee, Rio Tinto Coal Australia managing director Chris Salisbury said “This emergency response vehicle is the first community project I am pleased to be involved with as the new Chair of the Committee. It’s great to hear first-hand the value this vehicle will have in the community from the wonderful local volunteers of the Rural Fire Service in Bulga.

“The Rural Fire Service Community First Responders provide vital services to our local community and we are proud to help them better respond to emergencies with a new light vehicle.

“The vehicle is expected to help Community First Responders, who are trained and accredited by NSW ambulance, arrive up to 20 minutes before an ambulance or paramedic and could therefore be a lifesaver in many situations.

“This project is part of our \\$3 million commitment over the next 3 years for projects that help build a more sustainable future for the Hunter Valley through the Coal & Allied Community Development Fund.”

The vehicle will initially be stationed at the Bulga Rural Fire Station for deployment anywhere in the Hunter Valley Rural Fire Service region as required.