WA police will use a new drone program to gather real-time intelligence before officers reach emergencies. Drones will launch from docking stations in Kwinana, Rockingham and Baldivis and can operate beyond line of sight. They will be dispatched from a command centre in Perth. Police Minister Reece Whitby says the program is an Australian first. Targeted uses include family and domestic violence matters, missing persons, crimes in progress and stolen vehicles.
An online map shows 21 registered defibrillators across Cabonne towns, including Eugowra, Cudal, Manildra, Yeoval, Cumnock, Canowindra and Molong. NSW Ambulance chief executive Clare Beech said each minute without CPR cuts a cardiac arrest patient's survival chance by seven to 10 per cent. A new GoodSAM CPR playlist on Spotify matches songs to the recommended compression rate of 100 to 120 per minute. People aged 18 and over can register as GoodSAM responders without formal CPR qualifications. Device access varies, and map listings may be incomplete or outdated.
Emergency crews have responded to multiple swiftwater call-outs across south-east Queensland after falls of more than 200 millimetres. The State Emergency Service has attended 277 call-outs across the state, including 152 in the Moreton Bay region. Two people were cut off by flash flooding at a campground in the Scenic Rim, and crews are working to reach them. Roads and 14 schools have been closed. Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Steve Hadley said rain should ease over the coming day, though heavy bursts could continue for 24 to 72 hours.
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Molong will become part of New South Wales' emergency response network, with Fire and Rescue NSW deploying one of three new bulk water transfer units there. The $3.89 million investment in pumping systems and transport vehicles aims to strengthen responses to major fires and floods. Each Hytrans unit can pump up to 8000 litres of water a minute over a kilometre of hose, and draw water from depths of up to 60 metres. Other units are based at Bangalow and Albury. An earlier model cleared floodwater from Kempsey's main streets during the May 2025 Mid North Coast floods.
A fire at a training area of Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta has killed at least four people and injured dozens more. The blaze broke out late on Saturday, local time, and strong winds carried flames into surrounding rural land. Prime Minister Mark Carney called it one of the worst peacetime tragedies Canadian forces have faced on home soil and ordered flags lowered to half-mast. Many injured service members were taken to hospitals across the province.
The family of Nicholas Bradford, 51, is demanding answers after he died waiting more than two hours for an ambulance in Brisbane. He called triple-0 from his Annerley home shortly after 10pm on Saturday, reporting chest pain. Paramedics arrived about 12.10am, and police were needed to help them gain access to the home. He was found dead in his bed. The Queensland Ambulance Service says a review is underway, and Health Minister Tim Nicholls says an incident review will be undertaken.
Residents of the north-west Victorian town of Birchip have been without unleaded petrol for almost a month. The Birchip Motel and Caravan Park, the town's only unleaded supplier, stopped ordering it due to rising costs. Its owner, Sarathi Muthukrishnan, has since ordered one more delivery but says he is unsure whether supply can continue. Residents say the shortage affects medical appointments, emergency response vehicles and fire preparation. Buloke Shire Mayor Graeme Milne said the council is exploring alternative options.
A 53-year-old man died at his home in Annerley, Brisbane, after waiting around two hours for paramedics following a triple-0 call reporting chest pain. He was triaged in the Code 1C category, described as potentially time-critical, and an operator phoned back about five minutes later, when he reportedly said his condition was unchanged. The Queensland Ambulance Service has offered its condolences and says a review is underway, though it is limited in what it can disclose. Health Minister Tim Nicholls described the circumstances as tragic and said lessons would be applied if identified.
A nearly 24-hour siege in Cootamundra ended peacefully at about 4.30am on Thursday, October 15. Police were first called to a Parker Street property at about 5am on Wednesday after reports of a gunshot. It is understood officers then encountered a man allegedly making threats of self-harm. Tactical police, an armoured BearCat vehicle and specialist negotiators were deployed, and nearby streets were cordoned off. NSW Police confirmed the incident was mental health-related.
Researchers say Australia needs a national bushfire database to help agencies share data across state borders. Fire data is currently spread across separate systems, each with its own standards and terms, which can make coordination harder during fires. The 2019-20 Black Summer fires exposed these gaps, including confusion over warnings for a blaze. The researchers point to overseas models that link existing systems through shared definitions rather than full centralisation. They say data ownership, privacy, governance and funding remain barriers, and that local and Indigenous knowledge should inform any system.
A semi-trailer carrying french fries caught fire on State Route 6 in Emery County, Utah, at around 8pm on Saturday, October 10. Emergency crews from Green River Fire and the local sheriff's deputy arrived quickly and put out the flames. The driver disconnected the tractor from the burning trailer, saving the vehicle. Nobody was injured. Fire officials said the blaze may have started from a problem with one of the trailer's axles, though the cause has not been confirmed.
A 63-year-old man has died in hospital after his car crashed through the front of a well-known Bondi gelato shop on Tuesday afternoon. The crash happened at the corner of Campbell Parade and Beach Road, about 1.40pm. He was taken to St Vincent's Hospital in critical condition. The driver is believed to have suffered a medical episode before the crash. No other injuries were reported. NSW Police confirmed the death and said a report will be prepared for the Coroner. Motorists have been urged to avoid the area while emergency crews respond.
A woman has been taken to hospital after an allegedly stolen car hit her near Flinders Street Station in Melbourne on Sunday morning. Police allege a 16-year-old boy was driving the car, which was reportedly taken overnight from a business in Cranbourne South. Witnesses say the driver came within metres of the Melbourne Marathon course and drove erratically through the city centre. Ambulance Victoria said one person was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Police said the teenager was arrested without incident in Albert Park and will be interviewed.
Two men are recovering in hospital after a single-engine light plane crashed near a private airfield north of Muchea, about 50 kilometres north of Perth, on Saturday morning. The men, aged in their 60s and 30s, suffered leg injuries and are understood to be in stable condition. One was taken to Royal Perth Hospital by ambulance, and the other was flown there by rescue helicopter. Emergency crews, including DFES and St John, attended the scene, and police inquiries into the cause of the crash are ongoing.
Emergency services have left the scene of a serious incident at Cooleman Court in Weston, where a vehicle crashed into a local business. Crews were called at about 11:45 am. Three people were trapped beneath the vehicle and were freed by ACT Fire & Rescue crews, allowing paramedics to give urgent treatment. Five patients were taken to hospital. Two suffered serious injuries, but all five are reported to be in stable condition. ACT Policing remains at the scene and has confirmed the incident is not being treated as intentional. Further details will be released by police.
