More than ambulance drivers
Name: Matt Brenssell
Occupation: Alexandra station manager and paramedic, St John
Q What jobs did you do before this one?
I was a farm hand, heavy machinery operator and shepherd, I managed an agriculture contracting and cotton farm in Zimbabwe, I was a pest control officer in London and selfemployed farmer.
Q
Why did you choose this job?
I have always had an interest in the emergency services. A good friend on mine who I lived with in London was a paramedic in Cape Town. I spent time with him there and was offered a position. There was a lot of unrest at the time, so I decided to head back to the UK. Eventually, I came back to New Zealand and started farming. I joined the local fire brigade and became a coresponder, now know as first responder. I got my passion back so decided on a career change to become a career ambulance officer.
Q
How did you get into it and when?
I started doing volunteer shifts with St John under the umbrella of the Fire Service. I soon became a dedicated St John ambulance volunteer in 1999, starting with casual work then moved to a fulltime position in 2003.
Q What qualifications and training did you need?
I worked my way through the various qualification levels while doing volunteer work. I did the equivalent of the first responder course in 1997, completed the equivalent of emergency medical technician in 2001, BLS paramedic in 2002 and intermediate life support paramedic in 2005, which is now equivalent to paramedic. I also spent time at Auckland University of Technology studying paramedicine.
Q
What personal skills do you need?
The ability to handle stress, work under pressure and deal with people from many walks of life. You also have to be able to think on your feet as well as be a team player, have plenty of empathy and have a strong sense of humour. You also need to be selfdisciplined and be reasonably good at hitting the books while still being practical.
Q Any physical requirements?
You do need to keep reasonably fit to be a proficient paramedic. You have to be able to lift patients, often in difficult situations. You could be in a house one minute then hiking a steep hill the next or upsidedown in the dark in a car that’s rolled. This can all be within a matter of hours.
Q
What do you do on a daily basis?
I’m up before 6am to be at work by 6.45am. I start by logging on the ambulance for the day, receive a handover from the crew going off duty and carry out the required checks, making sure equipment is ready and medications are present and correct. All the time we are ready for incoming calls. Each officer holds portfolios that they are responsible for. Station and vehicle cleaning is part of the daily tasks. Any down time can be spent training.
We can end up anywhere once you are on duty depending on where the need is. Every day is different from the last. From the start of the shift, we are at the disposal of the communications centre. A normal shift is 12 hours long.
If not out on calls, I am behind a desk dealing with a wide range of issues, as I also have the role of station manager.
Q
What is the most challenging aspect?
Dealing with the type of calls that affect you the most. I don’t know many paramedics that like dealing with sick and injured children or dealing with family members when you have been unsuccessful at saving a loved one, or there has been a traumatic event involving loved ones.
Q Are there any particular health and safety issues?
Mainly the stress of the job and longterm shift work.
Q What is the most interesting assignment you’ve had?
There are too many to name. You usually come out of those ones thinking ‘‘Did that really happen?’’. The Christchurch earthquakes would have to be up there. That was one of those situations that you can tell your grandchildren, ‘‘I was there’’.
Q How has the job changed since you started?
The skills and expectations of a paramedic, the demands of the job and public expectations are much higher now. The type of patients we
deal with has changed as medications and treatments have improved within the health sector. We are dealing with more socioeconomic issues, drug abuse and assaults. It is becoming more common for ambulance officers to receive abuse or be assaulted than in the past.
Q What is something people generally don’t know about the job?
That we are more than ambulance drivers and not everyone is a paramedic.
Paramedics and intensive care paramedics have spent at least three years of study to gain their qualification and authority to practice.
Not all ambulances have a paramedic on board. However, the first responder and especially emergency medical technicians have a vast range of skills.
The majority of ambulance staff in New Zealand are volunteers.
The skills and interventions that are able to be carried out by the ambulance officer treating you depend on their practicing level.
Q
What are the highs of the job?
Completing an emergency call knowing you have done your best and the recovery of the patient is going to be improved as a result or when a patient you have treated makes contact once they have recovered to say they are doing well. We often don’t know the final outcome of patients once we hand them over to ongoing health care facilities.
Not knowing what each day will bring.
Q
What are the lows of the job?
The calls where no matter how hard you have tried the outcome has not been successful. Thankfully, the highs outweigh the lows.
Q What’s the strangest thing you’ve had to do?
There are many, however, I can’t mention them as I may end up in court.
Q
What’s the salary?
The salary depends on the qualification level and authority to practice. The base rate for an ambulance officer with an authority to practice at paramedic level is $69,853 for the first 12 months. This increases with the number of years service up to 10 years. Ten years plus receives a base rate salary of $74,865 before tax.
Q
Where will you be 10 years from now?
I would like to think I’m still practising successfully at paramedic level and the station I currently manage is the envy of every other station in New Zealand. If not, I’ll be lying on a beach on a tropical island with an endless supply of cocktails.