Country volunteers train for crucial role in care

Country volunteers train for crucial role in care

13/10/2021, 4:51 PM

Volunteers at the Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) Tallangatta Unit undertook training with local Ambulance Victoria (AV) crews on Monday night, building on established relationships between the two teams to refresh their knowledge and introduce four new members.

From Road Crash Rescue (RCR) to casualty handling in remote locations and driving an ambulance, the VICSES volunteers worked with Andrew “Chubby” Chalmers, Ambulance Community Officer at the local AV branch in Tallangatta to get ready for those difficult moments on the road, and to better assist paramedics in lifesaving situations.

Andrew - having provided a typical ambulance from the local fleet - took members through the equipment aboard, pointing out the location of important items a paramedic may ask for and demonstrating how they would be used.

The night finished with a Casualty Handling exercise using AVs ‘CombiCarrier’ and a futuristic ‘Stryker Stretcher’.

Quote attributable to Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) Deputy Controller Service Delivery Zachary West:

“In rural Victoria, there will usually be one paramedic in attendance so, if they’re busy working on a patient, we can find the equipment they need and better understand their goals as we assist them.”

“Two of our four new members have completed RCR training which shows you how to safely release a casualty; this training builds on those skills by giving VICSES volunteers a greater understanding of the job of the paramedic. In understanding what they want to achieve, VICSES volunteers can better support them.”