This includes members of Victoria Police, Country Fire Authority firefighters and Ambulance Victoria paramedics, who will continue to ensure public order, provide reassurance, respond to fires and medical emergencies.

Community members will continue to see the flashing red and blue lights of emergency vehicles whizzing past and will hear the familiar sound of sirens, but each organisation is implementing measures to ensure that not only its employees, but the public, are protected from the virus.

Victoria Police members are playing both an enforcement and proactive reassurance role throughout the COVID-19 pandemic - from ensuring people are self-isolating and that public order is maintained, that only essential services are operating, that people are not gathering in groups such as at Lake Wendouree or at skate parks, to conducting extra patrols to provide reassurance to the community.

Superintendent Jenny Wilson told The Courier earlier this week that police were committed to providing a strengthened police presence during this uneasy time for all.

"At the end of the day, all of these changes are being made to keep our community safe and to stop the spread of this virus, which we know could result in the death of some of our residents, particularly the most vulnerable people."

Callers to 000 are now being asked a series of questions before and when emergency services arrive to determine the level of risk, with all emergency service personnel taking extra precautions and wearing personal protective equipment as they respond.

For police, this includes glasses, gloves, face masks and at times, disposable overalls.

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Proactive police patrols around Ballarat, as part of Operation Sentinel, began on Thursday.

While there are some extra police available due to the cancellation of music and sporting events across the region that would usually require a police presence, some units, such as the Proactive Police Unit overseen by Inspector Trevor Cornwill, have been redeployed from their normal duties to undertake these patrols.

"[Operation Sentinel] is a reassurance program to put extra police on the streets each morning and night," Inspector Cornwill said.

"There will be more police on reassurance patrols at shopping centres and to check on businesses to make sure those businesses that should be closed are closed and that people are doing the right thing and social distancing. And also to check in that those people who are supposed to be social distancing are continuing to do so."

While the region has not experienced the issues in supermarkets which have occured in Melbourne and other cities, Inspector Cornwill said the high visibility presence was important to make the community feel more secure.

Police are preparing for a number of issues that could arise due to social isolation - including the possibility for an increase in family violence, an increase in crime due to unemployment, an increase in mental health call-outs and drink and drug driving.

It is difficult to know what will occur in relation to these issues, for example family violence, as the rate of family violence has varied in the different countries already in a full lockdown.

While police last week halted booze bus operations due to safety concerns, roadside drug and alcohol testing is still being conducted.

In the last couple of days, police have impounded three cars for high range drink driving offences.

"If people think that we're not out doing breath tests, we are. We are still doing all of our enforcement activities too, in addition to our proactive activities," Inspector Cornwill said.

In order for there to be more members on the streets, one member and 16-hour police stations are now physically closed to the public, but police are still available via phone and can return to the station if necessary.

Ballarat Police Station remains open to the public at this stage, though there is a limit of four people within the waiting area at any one time.

Anybody who is unwell should not attend the police station, but should report an incident online or on the phone to the Police Assistance Line.

Meanwhile, fire brigades across the region remain at normal strength and are still poised to respond to incidents.

However, the Country Fire Authority has taken steps to reduce the risk of its members contracting the virus on the frontline as they respond to fires or medical emergencies.

District 15 Duty Officer Gavin Hope said all face-to-face training and engagement with the public - such as community safety education programs at nursing homes, schools and community events as well as fundraising initiatives - had ceased for the time being.

"We've stopped all of our face-to-face communication, which is a big part of what we do - that public education to try to prevent fires," Mr Hope said.

Within the fire stations and when responding to incidents, firefighters are implementing precautionary measures.

"Ballarat City and Lucas brigades in particular are taking extra precaution when they assist Ambulance Victoria at medical events," he said.

"Usually they are well kitted out anyway but we are just taking that extra precaution to sanitise equipment and wear more protective clothing, to mask up, wear glasses and gloves."

He said emergency services, including firefighters, needed to be extra careful to ensure the virus does not infiltrate stations, as it would mean their closure.

District 15 headquarters at Learmonth Rd, Wendouree, is also closed to the public, though questions and inquiries can still be made over the phone.

"Our emergency response hasn't been affected and there will be no delays," Mr Hope said.

"But please, we'd like to know from a person reporting an incident if there is any risk to us, if there is a confirmed case of coronavirus on the property when they call.

"It doesn't mean we won't come, it just means we will be able take those extra precautions and can prepare on the way."

Ambulance Victoria's Grampians Regional Director Tim Maywald urged the community to help to "flatten the curve".

While the lifestyle changes being asked of the community are a challenge, he said they are only temporary but are essential to both slow the rate of infection and to ensure the public health system can manage.

Mr Maywald said everybody could make a difference by staying home, keeping at least 1.5 metres away from people when it is necessary to venture out, to wash hands frequently and thoroughly, to cough or sneeze into an elbow and not to touch your face.

He said the organisation had been planning and preparing for the impact of COVID-19 for months and was in regular contact with medical experts and other agencies.

"It is a coordinated, whole of sector response to ensure the healthcare system is well placed to meet this challenge," he said.

He asked the community to only call 000 only in the instance of an emergency so that ambulances are available for those who need them.

"If you have an emergency and you need an ambulance, you will get one," Mr Maywald said.

When responding to a medical emergency, paramedics will be taking extra precautions and may wear white suits or gowns, gloves, face masks and goggles.

Mr Maywald said these were a precautionary measure employed for all infectious disease cases and did not necessary mean a patient has COVID-19.

"This is our standard procedure for all infectious diseases and it means our paramedics are doing the right thing and ensuring the community and our people remain safe," he said.

"Our paramedics also follow prescriptive decontamination procedures after any transfer of suspected and infected patients.

"These well-established and robust measures ensure our paramedics can continue to care for the community.

"We are working harder than ever to ensure our patients are getting directed to the right medical service, that our people have the utmost protection from coronavirus, and that we are keeping emergency care resources available for those who need them."

The best way for the community members to support paramedics, and all emergency services for that matter, is simply to stay home.

Anyone who thinks they have COVID-19 should contact the Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398. Anyone else with a health concern should contact Nurse on Call on 1300 60 60 24. If in doubt, visit the DHHS website.

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