Hands up who's an Ambulance officer.

[Marcus]

Or has been in the Ambulance service? If that the correct phrase 

I have a feeling there are quite a few of you out there....

So lets do a role call

[StinkyPete]

I was a volunteer ambo back in the 1970s.

[ST2UP]

If I say yes......do I win anything?? or have my mortgage payed out ??

If not......then no I'm not, and havn't been for the last 20 odd years.


But your right Marcus their seems to be a few here......that's because Paramedics are not a very social bunch out in the real world......we generally don't play we'll with others        

There are a lot of Emergency Service people in general in the club.......think we would know better than to be hooning about on bikes 


 

[Bluey]

I was an ambo/paramedic in metro Melbourne for most of the eighties. A change in family circumstances meant I had to move to Adelaide who, at that time, only recruited paid ambos from their volunteers, so I couldn't do my thing there. Glad it is behind me now, but not being able to use the (very expensive) training for longer has been a great disappointment. There were many good times and many not so good.

And it is true, we don't play well with others.

[nealeray]

Well the ones I know play well with others and the best one plays well with me. And I don't mean you Sicman.

[Poppy Dave]

I was an Ambo back in England, 1972 to 1977, in Liverpool of all places.

Resigned to come to Western Australia. Got here and applied. Rejected as they preferred ex-military personnel to trained para-medics ? 

Later found out that in the early 70's SJA had had quite a few industrial problems and all the Shop Stewards were ex-Pommy Ambo's so my application basically got shredded.

Best job I've ever had.

Poppy

[Sicman]

You rang Nealeix  - Nealix's wife is a new Paramedic.

My hand is up

Cheers
 

[Brock]

I have heard that the same problem is coming to the fuzz as well.

Huggy fluffies   

[JohnW]

Marcus, thanks for raising this subject. Perhaps it arose from my earlier comments to you.
Yes, I used to be an Amblance Officer from 1969 to 1983 and saw some remarkable changes in that time. I served in the Bega, Shoalhaven and Illawarra Districts. Whilst I can do without the bureaucracy I very much miss the camraderie. I also greatly admire and respect the serving officers for the service they provide. Be pleased to catch up with any serving or ex members of the service. J

[Pocket STocker]

Well I am Married to a Paramedic, my brother is a Paramedic, my dad was a Ambulance officer then Ambulance station Officer for 40 years all here in NSW.....Chris just worked out they have over 100 years service between the 3 of them.


Pockey 

[TAZZIEBAZ]

I've been a Volunteer Ambo here in Tasmania for the past four and half years and I devote between 24 - 48+ hours each week to the service. The Tasmanian Ambulance Service would hardly exist without Volunteer Ambos. There are more Vollies in Tassie than there are Paramedics. We have two Ambulances at the station here at Nubeena and only one Branch Officer (Intensive Care Paramedic). Every trip we make to our nearest Hospital is a turn around time of between 4-5 hours and it's not unusual to make at least two or even three trips within a 24 hour block. We undergo continuous training and are expected to perform to a very high standard as many times we're called on to attend without the assistance of a Paramedic. Only last week I was working with an ICP and we had an otherwise healthy 49 year old female who had a Cardiac Arrest while we were on our way to Hospital. At the time we were 105kls from Hospital so it was up to us to bring her back to sinus rhythm, fortunately were we're to do so and we were able to save her life.
It is so rewarding to be involved in saving someone's life, and this is not the first time I've been in that situation. I am so pleased to be able to serve the local community as a Volunteer Ambo and proud of working with others involved in the care of other human beings.

[Sicman]

Hi Couch - I have met ur ICP at Nubeena while I was on holidays staying at the van park at the beach ( Balding guy ICP who had been in the service for 30yrs and was on helicopter. He had retired  to Nubeena to sort his demons out ) He told me his nearest Paramedic was 1.5 hrs away in Hobart.
I can relate to the transfers as each one of ours is an average of 5hrs. I have just done 9 of those in 5 days with some very crook patients.

Cheers
 

[TAZZIEBAZ]

Hey Tony......that would have to be Lyle Turnbull, I've had some really interesting cases with Lyle. We had a guy whose heart rate was 220 and after trying everything to get it down without success and with him on the verge of arresting, Lyle made the decision to stop his heart and try to restart in sinus rhythm, and thankfully we were able to do so. It was the first time he'd ever performed that procedure in thirty years and it was great to be involved in it with him, particularly with such a great outcome.
I wish I knew that you were holidaying here mate, I'd have loved to catch up with you. I only live a couple of minutes drive from the caravan park at White Beach. I run the beach (4kls) occasionally. Hope you enjoyed your stay here!
Cheers,
Baz

Hi Couch - I have met ur ICP at Nubeena while I was on holidays staying at the van park at the beach ( Balding guy ICP who had been in the service for 30yrs and was on helicopter. He had retired  to Nubeena to sort his demons out ) He told me his nearest Paramedic was 1.5 hrs away in Hobart.
I can relate to the transfers as each one of ours is an average of 5hrs. I have just done 9 of those in 5 days with some very crook patients.

Cheers
 

[Sicman]

Wow good job Baz. I have only seen that done in hospital. Our holiday was 2010 and in the Patrol. The next trip we will call in and it will be on the bikes 

Cheers
 

[A2Z]

My hand's up. Retired now, but was with the ASNSW, from 85 to 07. I switched over to SES in '07 as a Dep Reg Con for Macquarie, then Clarence/Nambucca.  Retired in Dec '10. Prior to that, I was also a paramedic in the US Amy. In the army from '71 to '77.

Do I miss the Ambulance Service? Not one little bit.  Miss my ambo mates though. But not the Service.

[A2Z]

But your right Marcus their seems to be a few here......that's because Paramedics are not a very social bunch out in the real world......we generally don't play we'll with others        

 

So are you saying Paramedics prefer to play with themselves. LOL. 

[Sabie]

Um.... I'm married to an Ex on road Officer (advanced care paramedic) of 25 plus years. She's now a Comm's Officer due to an on road injury a few years ago.

And I'm a "has been" Firey now retired...

[Pocket STocker]

But your right Marcus their seems to be a few here......that's because Paramedics are not a very social bunch out in the real world......we generally don't play we'll with others        

 

So are you saying Paramedics prefer to play with themselves. LOL. 

    . From a Nurses perspective and being married to a Ambo for 22yrs. LOL

[LaurieSH]

Well John W you would have known Mick McGee,Terry Morrow and Trevor Nudd. I was one of the first Paramedics  in Wollongong.
Hoping to recover from some serious tendon and muscle damage to my right upper arm. If it comes good I see the vfr going and an St1300 in the shed.
Cheers
Roadrunner

[A2Z]

Well John W you would have known Mick McGee,Terry Morrow and Trevor Nudd. I was one of the first Paramedics  in Wollongong.
Hoping to recover from some serious tendon and muscle damage to my right upper arm. If it comes good I see the vfr going and an St1300 in the shed.
Cheers
Roadrunner

Where's Mick McGee now? I took over from him as SO at Dunedoo in 87. Always wondered what happened to him.

[LaurieSH]

Hi John W
My name is Laurie Sheehan. Mick and Marge live in Maitland where they have a successful cleaning business.
I saw them about a year ago.
 I still catch up with Colin Randall in Kiama and we meet up with Jane Fisher (Dave's widow).
Geoff Relton (now a multi millionare and they all said he was full of BS) Mate he just sold a Ducati like Casey Stoner used to ride, he bought if for $110,000 plus on roads. No, that price is correct.
He, myself, Trevor Nudd,Terry Morrow, John Harpley and Steve Pollard attended Dr Peter Boon's funeral recently.
Cheers