Launched in 2023, the FMR program is a joint initiative between CFA and Ambulance Victoria, where CFA brigades and Ambulance Victoria are dispatched simultaneously to cardiac arrests.
With 46 CFA brigades on board by the end of May 2026, the FMR program aims to equip 50 CFA brigades across the state to respond alongside Ambulance Victoria paramedics and first responders to these time-critical, life-threatening cases.
Benalla Fire Brigade captain Charlie Sexton said the decision to join the program was an easy one to make, given the benefits it would provide the Benalla community.
“What this program means is that community members who call for an ambulance may receive both a fire truck and an ambulance. There is no specific order in which the services arrive to the incident,” Mr Sexton said.
Benalla Fire Brigade has been training with Ambulance Victoria for months, in preparation for the program, which will complement Ambulance Victoria’s service in the local area.
CFA acting chief officer Garry Cook said the program was a natural fit for CFA because of the 52,000 volunteers across the state.
“CFA has more than 1100 volunteer fire stations with more than 52,000 members,” he said.
“This puts CFA in a unique position to complement the Ambulance Victoria response in 50 locations across Victoria to help deliver early intervention to cardiac arrests.”
Ambulance Victoria executive director of regional operations Michael Georgiou said Victoria had the best cardiac survival rate in Australia and was second only to Denmark worldwide, thanks to high rates of early intervention.
“Victoria remains the safest state in Australia to go into cardiac arrest with Ambulance Victoria initiatives, such as the FMR program, saving lives,” he said.
“By upskilling CFA brigades to provide life-saving intervention, particularly in areas where a fire truck may reach a patient sooner than an ambulance, we can get people the care they need faster.
“FMR makes a real difference — when patients experiencing cardiac arrest are shocked by an automated external defibrillator before paramedics arrive, an incredible 63 per cent survive.
“This is compared to just seven per cent when there was no bystander CPR or AED use.”
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