Bendigo emergency services update: Power outages, hospital strain, and new safety tools this week

Bendigo's emergency services are stretched this week as crews battle widespread power outages, a hospital Code Yellow, and a hazardous chemical spill, even as authorities report no immediate catastrophic threats to the city.

More than 11,000 properties in the Bendigo region remain without power, with crews responding to over 490 separate faults across the Powercor network, according to the Bendigo Advertiser. The outages follow a recent 'Code Red Day' event that left much of the region in the dark.

Bendigo Health under Code Yellow

Bendigo Health's emergency department has triggered a 'Code Yellow' internal emergency, a designation used when high patient occupancy and limited bed availability strain hospital systems to breaking point. The ABC reports that the hospital has seen increasing patient numbers in recent weeks, leading to ambulance ramping on two occasions last month, where paramedics treated patients outside the hospital. A small number of elective surgeries were postponed last week to accommodate emergency cases, though no category 1 surgeries were canceled.

During the busy winter flu season, officials encourage residents with non-life-threatening conditions to use Virtual Emergency or Urgent Care Clinics instead of the emergency department to reduce pressure on the hospital.

New Emergency Dashboard and hazardous spill contained

The City of Greater Bendigo has launched a new Emergency Dashboard on its website, offering real-time warnings, road closures, and relief centre locations for bushfires, floods, and storms. The dashboard aggregates updates from VicEmergency, SES, and the CFA, giving residents a single point for critical information.

Meanwhile, Fire Rescue Victoria declared a hazardous liquid spill in Golden Square 'safe' and lifted a stay-indoor advice after crews cleaned up approximately 60 litres of leaked chemical product on Adam Street. The EPA confirmed no risk to human health or the environment, according to the Bendigo Advertiser.

What happens next

Emergency services are operating with regular response protocols in Bendigo, as the city faces no immediate catastrophic threats. However, some ambulance units in other areas have been reassigned to high-risk zones, according to emergency service reports. Residents are urged to stay informed via the new Emergency Dashboard, use non-emergency health services when possible, and report any new power outages to Powercor.