Whananaki firefighters' first rural force trained as medic first responders

Whananaki fire force volunteers Baxter Mosely and his mum Fiona Scott practising CPR at medical first responders' training. Photo / Supplied

A small volunteer fire force from Whananaki has become the first rural fire service in New Zealand to train as medical first responders.

The training is not the same as that required of a paramedic, but allows the firefighters to give first aid, use defibrillators and administer some medicines.

"It's similar to or approaching more than workplace first aid training plus another four days where they learn about defibrillators, giving oxygen and medications," deputy principal rural fire officer Rory Renwick said.

The ability to respond to medical incidents is invaluable in the isolated area. The nearest ambulance station is in Whangārei, 45-50 minutes' drive away.

"It's 50 minutes to an hour if you're lucky," Whananaki fire controller Mark Arrowsmith said.

"There's things like somebody has an allergic reaction and needs adrenaline to live.

"We actually get more medical calls than we get fires."

The training was only possible because of the merging of the rural and urban fire services into Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Renwick said.

"Previously a volunteer rural fire force would only really be involved in fire."

Arrowsmith said it wasn't legally possible for volunteer firefighters to be medical first responders before the change.

"The law we operated under actually prevented us from doing medical calls.

"It suddenly became part of the legislation. That allowed us to become first responders."

While not all volunteer firefighters were willing or able to become first responders, the force recruited extra volunteers for medical calls.

"We were able to recruit people just for the medical side of it ... it's not everyone's cup of tea."

Arrowsmith said while some rural fire services around the country struggled to find volunteers, Whananaki managed this with a very small population.

Whannaki volunteers Brian Meadows, Baxter Mosely, Bruce Barron, Preston Mosely, Mark Schou, Barney Bennett, Caroline Arrowsmith, Fiona Scott and Mark Arrowsmith. Photo / Supplied

"It's a great thing, but it wouldn't happen without the community. To get that many people from a base of 200 is pretty good."

Renwick said they are in no way replacing the ambulance service, but were now able to give first aid, including using defibrillators and giving oxygen, while they waited for an ambulance to arrive.

Trained volunteers would be able to give adrenaline, glucogen for diabetes, a nebuliser and medications for cardiac problems.

To administer any medication, they must get permission from St John's clinical desk in Auckland.

"A problem we have is communications because the cell phone coverage in Whananaki is not great."

St John solved the problem by providing the force with a satellite phone as well as the necessary medical equipment such as oxygen and defibrillators.