QAS Paramedics given then green light in Brisbane

Whilst it might be old news in some states, QAS Paramedics have been granted green lights around the streets of Brisbane in high priority cases.

The technology will see emergency vehicles transmit information via Bluetooth to receiving stations along busy Brisbane road corridors in high priority cases, turning lights green and therefore enabling them to reach their destination up to 26 percent quicker.

Jointly funded by Brisbane City Council and the Queensland state government, this technology has been rolled out across 13 Brisbane road corridors at a cost of $1.1 million.

Lord mayor Graham Quirk said they have seen almost 30 seconds shaved off QAS Paramedics response times, which can be the difference between life and death in an emergency.

“In an emergency, every second counts and this priority emergency technology is about making sure we see emergency vehicles, be they ambulances or fire and rescue vehicles, get to where they need to go quickly,” he said.

“To date, we’ve had 309 intersections fitted out with these emergency devices and already we’ve seen 120 ambulances and 23 fire and rescue trucks that are also fitted out with those devices.”

“The emergency vehicle triggers a message, which comes to the (Brisbane Traffic Management Centre), which allows then the computers to change the lights, to get those lights on green,” he said.

Cr Quirk said there had already been approximately 700 activations on Waterworks Road and 800 along Bowen Bridge and Lutwyche roads.

“Where we can create further green time for an emergency vehicle, rather than having to go through traffic that’s stopped at the intersection, weave their way through and then crawl through an intersection, this device allows a free-flow of emergency vehicles through those corridors,” he said.

Corridors QAS Paramedics will receive green lights

The technology has been rolled out on 13 road corridors and 309 intersections in Brisbane. The corridors are:

  • Kelvin Grove Road and Enoggera Road
  • Sandgate Road and Albion Road
  • Waterworks Road
  • Moggill Road
  • Milton Road
  • Coronation Drive
  • Logan Road
  • Creek Road
  • Oxley Road and Blunder Road
  • Mains Road and Compton Road
  • Ipswich Road
  • Cavendish Road and Newnham Road
  • Wynnum Road and Manly RoadQAS Paramedics

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