Rural volunteers needed
Ambulance Victoria is seeking more volunteer first responders to meet the demand for paramedic call-outs in rural locations across the Wimmera.
Ambulance Community Officers, ACOS, and Community Emergency Response Teams, CERTS, are being sought in locations including Hopetoun, Halls Gap, Goroke, St Arnaud, Rainbow and Jeparit.
Hindmarsh-yarriambiack paramedic community support co-ordinator Matt Pearce said ACOS and CERTS provided a vital service for remote and rural communities.
“Our first responders are dispatched at the same time as an ambulance, but due to their location, they will often arrive before the ambulance does,” he said.
“Being first on scene, they perform initial patient assessment and give lifesaving care such as CPR before handing over to paramedics.”
Hopetoun nurse Hayley GlareSmith has been volunteering as an ACO for five years.
She said serving her community as a first responder was a highly rewarding experience.
“You get incredible satisfaction from helping people in our community when they’re at their most vulnerable,” she said.
“Being able to provide initial treatment before the ambulance arrives is just so important.”
Ms Glare-smith said ACOS served a critical role and could often be the difference between life and death.
“The major hospital is over an hour away, so the first responders are incredibly important. In small communities, if everyone pulls together and helps, then everyone will have the best outcome,” she said.
First responders work across more than 100 locations in rural and remote Victoria, attending a variety of emergency situations including traffic accidents, respiratory and cardiac cases.
A medical background is not required, with all training provided.
Mr Pearce said applicants must be aged 18 and older and available for a minimum of 20 hours a month.”
He said anyone interested in learning more about the roles could call him on 0448 457 260 or email Hindmarshyarriambiack. pcsc@ambulance.vic.gov.au or West Wimmera paramedic community support co-ordinator Jim Falla on 0429 552 312 or email Westwimmera.pcsc@ambulance. vic.gov.au.