Gassasinian Civil Defence Force

Gassasinian Civil Defence Force

Formation	1979
Type	Fire Brigade, Ambulance, Technical Rescue, Search and Rescue, Air Ambulance
Location	Gassasinia
Budget	$745,380,000
Staff	~20,000
Volunteers	~5,000

The Gassasinian Civil Defence Force is the primary state fire brigade, providing firefighting services across the nation, along with providing ambulance coverage, civil defence, search and rescue, technical rescue and air ambulance services. The Gassasinian Civil Defence Force is staffed through a mixture of volunteers, full-time employeers and retained firefighters.

Although the primary goal of the Gassasinian Civil Defence Force is stated to be firefighting, the Gassasinian Civil Defence Force has in more recent years has found itself increasingly responding more to medical emergencies, car accidents and rescue. To provide ambulance services across the country, the Civil Defence Force works alongside a number of non-profit ambulance services such as the Gassasinian Red Cross, National Hatzalah and the St John Ambulance, who all have representation within the management of the National Ambulance Service and provide ambulances and emergency medical responders.

The Gassasinian Civil Defence Force is the responsibility of the Minister of Health and Public Welfare since 1990. Before 1990, the Minister of the Interior was responsible for the Gassasinian Civil Defence Force.

History

The Gassasinian Civil Defence Force has its' roots in the Gassasinia Fire Brigade. Formed in 1899, the Gassasinia Fire Brigade was responsible for fighting fires across the Estmerish Protectorate of Gassasinia. In 1939, the Gassasinia Fire Brigade First Aid Squad was formed, initially equipped with EUROPE produced ambulances which were merely a van in white ambulance livery, with very limited ability to provide on-site medical care. However, after 1952, the focus of ambulance services started to move to providing on-scene care, and basic Ambulancemen were trained as Emergency Medical Technicians, who had basic ability to provide on-scene care, particularly through techniques such as CPR and defibrilation.

The Gassasinian Civil Defence Force was formed in 1978 after the bombing of an election centre in a poor [MUSLIM] slum of Jabiyah by a dissident hold-out insurgent group, and the subsequent fire which in total resulted when the explosion sparked a gas-pipe, causing the deaths of 54, injured more than a hundred, and displaced hundreds more. Owing to the poor co-ordination and performance of the Fire Brigade due to poor management and insufficient equipment, the subsequent Fatimah Report - named in remembrance a 4 year old girl who was killed immediately in the blast - recommended reforming the organisation of the Gassasinia Fire Brigade, acquiring greater quantities of more modern apparatus and increasing co-ordination with local volunteer groups.

After Gassasinia's first free elections in 1979, the Gassasinian Civil Defence Force was formed by a merger of the Gassasinian Defence Force Civil Defence Corps and Coastal Rescue Unit, and the Gassasinia Fire Brigade.

During the period of economic recovery and growth during the 1980's and 1990's, the Gassasinian Civil Defence Force expanded and modernised it's equipment, training and techniques. Notably, the Gassasinian Civil Defence Force was called out in force in 1999 after a major accident at St. George Crash when an over-crowded underground train's brakes failed and collided with the rear-end of another train that was departing passengers at St George Station, killing almost a hundred and injuring twice as many.

Vehicles

A visual representation of standard livery for fire engines in Gassasinia.

The Gassasinian Civil Defence Force operates a large amount of apparatuses of both [EUROPEAN] and [NORTH AMERICAN] origin, where [EUROPEAN] vehicles are considered more useful for the tighter streets of major cities whereas Asteria Superior vehicles are more useful for smaller cities, suburban areas and rural areas where the roads are wider. The standard livery for vehicles of the Gassasinian Civil Defence Force is a plain red base colour, with a horizontal blue-outlined yellow or plain white retro-reflective stripe running across the vehicle.

A visual representation of one of the standard ambulance liveries

On the other hand, some ambulances in Gassasinia generally feature a horizontal yellow and green angled retro-reflective pattern across the vehicle, whereas others - especially GCDF ambulances - share the same livery as fire apparatus. Similar to fire apparatus, ambulances are a mix of [EUROPEAN] and [NORTH AMERICAN] models - mainly Sprinters and Ford F150s. Ambulances in Gassasinia are divided into two types: a Type A ambulance, generally built on a van chassis with a raised roof, and a Type B ambulance featuring a specifically designed rear-compartment on a truck or van chassis. While traditionally Type A ambulances were more common, Type B ambulances are increasingly becoming more and more common.

A visual-representation of a [NORTH AMERICAN] Type-B ambulance model.

All fire apparatuses ambulances are fitted with red and blue emergency lighting, a Whelen Engineering Company emergency siren, and a two-tone airhorn siren.

The Civil Defence Force operates a fleet of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters for fire-fighting, search and rescue, and air ambulance purposes, with similar livery to the fire apparatus and ambulances. Furthermore, a series of motorbikes are used to quickly deliver EMTs and fire-fighters on scene.

A visual representation of a [NORTH AMERICAN] Type-A ambulance model.

Often, paramedics and emergency physicians will utilise fly-cars to get on-scene, often to assist EMTs with their specific knowledge. In some cases, EMTs also use fly-cars for less urgent medical calls, and then call in for a transport ambulance if needed, allowing for faster response times and reducing strain on the fleet of transport ambulances.

Uniforms

Standard "Type-B" uniforms for the Gassasinian Civil Defence Force consist of a white short-sleeve shirt worn with black trousers and suspenders. When attending fires, fire-fighters will usually don dark khaki coloured bunker gear with lime and silver reflective stripes along with a yellow fire-fighter helmet.

Alternatively, ambulancemen will generally don a reflective amber vest which carries a variety of equipment such as gauzes, medical, trauma shears, and other handy equipment. Furthermore, each paramedic wears a black baseball cap with a blue Star of Life stitched into the front.

National Ambulance Service

The National Ambulance Service is a child agency of the Gassasinian Civil Defence Force, and is responsible for managing and co-ordinating ambulance response services, and setting standards for ambulances. The National Ambulance Service is a joint operation run by several national and local public organisations, including the Red Cross, St. John Ambulance Service and National Hatzalah, along with the Civil Defence Force who all contribute ambulances and emergency medical specialists to provide emergency medical response across the country. Charity groups which are part of the National Ambulance Service are also partially funded through the Civil Defence Forces' budget.

Most ambulances carry Emergency Medical Technicians who are capable of administering Basic Life Support. However, in rural areas, Advanced Emergency Technicians are utilised for cost-efficiency who can provide Intermediate Life Support. In more serious cases, an ambulance carrying a Paramedic, who can administer Advanced Life Support amongst other advanced specialised skills and treatments is dispatched.

Ambulance fees are paid for by one's public or private insurer, meaning that ambulance fees are rarely paid directly, especially in terms of poorer citizens.