Debt repaid with GPSS
Patient donates four units
Almost six weeks ago, Ballarat’s Julie Scollary was knocked unconscious in a wakeboarding accident on the Murray River at Torrumbarry.
On Wednesday, she returned to Echuca with her brother, Daryl Scollary, to thank the paramedics who came to her aid.
As well as the verbal thanks, the pair also showed their gratitude with the donation of four GPS units to Echuca ambulance station.
The GPS units— one for each of Echuca’s four ambulances — is courtesy Mr Scollary’s Horsham employer, seed supply company, Nuseed.
‘‘The business I work for has got a sense of community and caring for staff and their families,’’ Mr Scollary said.
‘‘When this incident came up, this was the perfect way to say thank you to Echuca ambos.’’
Ms Scollary, a paramedic herself, does not remember anything about her accident.
Her first memory is waking up in Melbourne’s Alfred Hospital where she had been flown to from Echuca with head injuries and pneumonia.
‘‘I was unconscious for a long time,’’ she said.
‘‘I was put to sleep in an induced coma.’’
Julie spent four days in hospital after the accident.
Echuca ambulance station team manager Phil Herd remembers the accident well.
He and Echuca paramedic Roy Jackson were called to a job where a wakeboarder had been injured in Farley Rd.
‘‘When I got there, someone. . . said ‘she’s down on the boat’. They said ‘she’s a paramedic’,’’ Mr Herd said.
‘‘When I got down there, I realised who it was.’’
Mr Herd and Ms Scollary had worked together as paramedics in Bendigo previously.
Helping someone they know is not unusual for Echuca paramedics.
‘‘It’s more common to go to jobs and know the people,’’ Mr Herd said. ‘‘Echuca’s not a big place. ‘‘(At times like this) your job just takes over and you do what you have to do.’’
Mr Herd said he was thankful for the donation of the GPS units, something that, until now, the station had ambulances .
‘‘It’s got to be better guidance and more efficient in getting to places,’’ Mr Herd said.
‘‘It’s another bit of equipment to help us in our jobs.’’
Mr Scollary said his business was only too pleased to be able to help.
‘‘It’s crazy to ambulances don’t (GPSs),’’ he said.
‘‘More important than the donation, our family would like to thank the Echuca ambulance crews and Ambulance Victoria, for their contribution in helping Julie to have a good outcome on the day.’’
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