Black Hill markers installed to assist emergency services find their patients

New location markers have been installed at Black Hill Reserve to assist emergency services to navigate the area to quickly assist those in need.  

The Black Hill Reserve has become increasingly popular with cyclists and hikers alike, who wish to be challenged by the rough terrain.  

The characteristics that attract people to this location are the same that make it difficult for Emergency Service personal to navigate and attend to injured parties. 

With an increase in traffic volumes, the area has also seen incidents of accidents and injury rise. In some instances it took approximately fifty minutes for emergency services to locate people.  

The City of Ballarat was approached by Ambulance Victoria asking if Council would consider installing emergency markers throughout the reserve to help paramedics quickly locate and assist injured people.  

Emergency markers are installed in strategic locations around the reserve to assist those contacting emergency services to describe exactly where they need assistance.  

It is expected that the presence of emergency markers will greatly reduce the response times for all emergency service personal and give greater confidence to users of the bike and walking tracks. 

Cr Des Hudson said the markers will make the whole Black Hill Reserve area safer for everyone to use.  

“It’s great to see more and more people taking advantage of our beautiful parks and gardens and getting out on their bikes or walking these trails,” he said.  

“We are proud to be able to keep our community safe and help our dedicated emergency services personnel do their jobs as effectively as possible.  

“With these new markers, park users can be assured that should something go wrong while in the reserve, help will know exactly where to find them.”  

Background 

• Emergency Markers are regularly maintained and checked. 
• The caller to 000 quotes the unique alphanumeric identification of the Emergency Marker to the 000 call-taker 
• There are just under 4,000 active Emergency Markers around the state 
• ESTA started the Emergency Markers program in 2006 
• For further information visit www.esta.vic.gov.au/emergency-markers