Sydney Australia | Firegeezer

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA HAS ADDED A NEW RESOURCE to its ambulance fleet starting with tonight’s New Year’s celebrations. ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corp.) tells of their plans:

Sydney paramedics will now be able to reach patients locked in by massive New Year’s Eve crowds thanks to a new, pint-sized ambulance. The latest addition to the NSW Ambulance Service, a micro car measuring a mere 250 centimetres (8 feet)in length, will be deployed for the first time on December 31 after a successful trial earlier this month.

Premier Kristina Keneally, who was on hand to announce the $18,000 Smart car ambulance, says it will enable paramedics to manoeuvre through large crowds unlike regular ambulance vehicles.

“The advantage of the Smart car is that it will allow our ambulance service to have a quicker response, particularly when it comes to large events,” she said. “We intend to use the Smart car in big events … we anticipate it will be in use every weekend.”

About 300 paramedics and 150 ambulance vehicles will be working in Sydney’s metropolitan area on New Year’s Eve, which is expected to draw 1.5 million people to Sydney Harbour.

The mini-ambulance contains all the essentials found in a regular ambulance, except for the cot, including oxygen resuscitation equipment, drug and first aid kits, and a defibrillator. It also has the advantage of protecting paramedics from the elements, unlike ambulance motorcycles.

ABC broadcast this news snippet:

A FARMER IN VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, FELT COMPELLED TO CALL IN a gas leak on Tuesday when a strong odor of natural gas filled his house. While his home heating is supplied by bottled gas, the extra-high wildfire hazard conditions in Victoria are making everyone a little skittish and less hesitant to call in potential emergencies.

The Axedale Fire Station of the Country Fire Authority (CFA) dispatched two tanker/pumpers and 15 firefighters to the farmhouse which is a 10-minute drive from the station. When the FF’s arrived, they could not only smell the heavy gas cloud covering the farmstead, but they could also hear the gas leak. Captain Peter Harkins told reporters:

“(the farmer) was a little bit embarrassed to say the least,” he says.

“It took us a little while to compose ourselves, to speak to him. When we got there, as we drove up the driveway, there was this huge sow, about a 120-odd kilo (265 lbs.) sow, and it was very obvious where the gas was coming from. We could not only smell it, but we heard it and it was quite funny. I don’t know what they were feeding this thing but we certainly heard it.”

“It was fairly obvious what it was and we hosed it down a little bit. I think we dealt with it fairly professionally and had a bit of a giggle when we got back to the station.”

He added: “She got very excited when two trucks and 15 firies turned up and she squealed and farted and squealed and farted. I haven’t heard too many pigs fart but I would describe it as very full-on.”

Captain Harkins was interviewed by the Sydney Morning Herald and their conversation is replayed on a video report. Listen to it HERE and you can hear the reporter cracking up as the captain relates the unusual call.

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