Hard-hitting new ad portrays ambo crashing into power pole

A hard-hitting new advertisement being launched today portrays a fatigued paramedic fatally injured after crashing his ambulance into a power pole.

The advertisement calls on Premier Brumby to take urgent action on paramedic fatigue.

The Victorian Government last month rejected demands for 10 hour rest breaks between shifts. Paramedics say longer rest breaks are vital if they are to do their jobs safely.  

The advertisement includes simulated a phone call between a 000 call-taker and a distressed man who has discovered the fatally injured paramedic.  

The ad comes after a survey among Victorian paramedics revealed 55 percent had fallen asleep or nodded off while driving.

Ambulance Employees Australia released FOI material today revealing paramedics in regional Victoria averaged 55 days of overtime last year — the equivalent of eleven 38 hour weeks.  

The documents show regional paramedics averaged 16 days sick leave last year, fuelling concerns Victorian paramedics’ extreme workloads are affecting their health.

Melbourne paramedics averaged 32 days of overtime, the equivalent of six and half 38 hour weeks. They averaged 13.5 days of sick leave.

The 30-second ad is being distributed virally by email and as a 3G mobile phone file to the thousands of Victorians supporting paramedics’ online campaign, www.responsetime.org.au It is also being aired on YouTube and Facebook.

In an email to online supporters, Ambulance Employees Australia State Secretary Steve McGhie wrote:

“Fatigue is a killer. You get it. I get it.”

“But does Premier Brumby?  We don’t think so. That’s why we made this 30 second video.”

“It is hard-hitting stuff. But when you consider that 55% of the ambos we surveyed said they’ve been so fatigued they’ve fallen asleep driving, a tragedy like this can only be a matter of time.”

“We need everyone to know how Premier Brumby is treating Victoria’s ambos.”

“And we need him to get this simple message: fatigue kills.”

Watch our new advertisement here