weekly newsletter of st john ambulance australia (nt ... · just outside of hobart. ... and we were...

On other pages this week:

National Cadet Camp

NT Grand Prior recipients

BGL Test Kits

Bupa Corporate Offer

Assessor Workshop

Apply Advanced First Aid

Memories of an old ambo

WHS Communicate

Bupa poster

Weekly Newsletter of St John Ambulance Australia (NT) Operations Branch Thursday 24 January 2013

Please send contributions to

Vollie News

Before 8.30pm Wednesday

Frank Dunstan 0429 886751

Newsletter editor

[email protected]

[email protected]

Volunteer Office Contacts:

[email protected]

Phone: 08 8922 6234

08 8922 6205

The Volunteer Office is delighted to welcome the newest member to their Community Education team. Regina Sellar (Alice Springs resident). The creation of this new position will allow the Community Education program to expand their services throughout the Alice Springs Region on a full time basis.

Kathy, Regina and Kelly

Below: Some pictures from Bob Walker who visited Darwin last year for a few months

and joined Darwin Adult Division. Bob is a member from NSW and attended the New

Year Eve Celebrations at Sydney Harbour... This is a duty with a view...

mailto:[email protected]



Vollie News Thursday 24th January 2013

National Cadet Camp Tasmania 2013 – Hailee Skinner

Camp was held at Woodfield Camping grounds about an hour

just outside of Hobart. The contingent of 16 cadets and 3

adults included cadets from Nhulunbuy, Katherine and Band

Divisions. We would like to thank these Divisions for their

assistance with fundraising which helped greatly towards the

costs of both camp fees and flights. We were the second

largest contingent and also the most age diverse with ages

ranging from 12-18.

This year the cadet competitions included team tasks where

everyone had to set up a first aid post together and PR skills

formed a part of the competitions; competitors were quizzed

on their knowledge of the organisation including the history of

two well known Tasmanian St John members, community care

capitalise, cadets, adults, first aid kits and first aid courses

available. The NT competitors did very well in the

competitions and have spoken about the fun that they had

competing. The weather was certainly a change for us who are

used to the Tropics but no frostbite or hypothermia was

experienced! Before and during our time on camp the

Tasmanians were experiencing some devastating

bushfires. On the last night of camp an astonishing $750

was raised by the 120 campers.

The camp was great experience for all of the NT

contingent with many cadets this being their first time

away from home doing very well.


Northern Territory Grand Prior recipients 2012 – Hailee Skinner

The Grand Prior’s Award ceremony was held in Sydney,

2012. And there was a group of eight from the

Northern Territory. Shannon, Christine, Samara, Emily,

Angela, Leanne, Hayley (from Humpty Doo), and Kristy

(from Alice Springs). We all left Darwin (except for

Kristy) at approximately 7:30am on the 18th of May

2012, and arrived in Sydney at 12:30pm. We collected

our luggage, jumped on the bus and headed to where

we were staying, Blaxland. When we arrived we located

our beds and dumped our luggage into our room, then

we were back on the bus after a hasty lunch and

headed to Luna Park for a Youth Consultation. There we

listened to people talk about emergencies and the need

to have a fast and reliable system in place should the

need arise. We were split into groups and all given an

emergency to work on; our emergency was an

earthquake, and we had to come up with some of the

things we needed to do and have in case of one. After

this was over we were all given unlimited ride passes

and we were set free on the rides. We had to meet up

at 9pm so we could all jump back on the bus and take

the hour trip back to Blaxland.

The next day we were headed off to the Three Sisters

and the Blue Mountains, it was amazing! First we

stopped at the Three Sisters and had a look around,

back on the bus to Scenic World. There we were given

passes and we all headed down the mountain on the

steepest train in the world. When we reached the

bottom we walked around on one of the many trails

that spread around the foot of the mountain. Then we

headed back up on the sky rail. After lunch we headed

to Penrith Plaza were many of the groups went to the

movies, but we decided to go shopping. A couple of

hours later we were all shopped out, and we began the

journey back to Blaxland. Dinner that night was

amazing! All the tables had candles and fancy glasses

on them, and the food was delicious roast chicken with

potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, and gravy. After dinner we

headed to bed as we all had to get up at four in the

morning to be ready to travel into Sydney for the Grand

Prior’s Breakfast.

It was three degrees when we woke up the next day.

We all piled onto the bus grateful for the heaters in it!

We arrived at the Grand Prior’s Breakfast at seven and

there we saw some awards being handed out. After the

breakfast we headed to Paddy’s Market and then to

Darling Harbour Plaza. After lunch we got back on the

bus and headed to where we were going to get our

awards, Sydney University. When we arrived we got

into our uniforms and made sure we looked our best.

Then we headed into the chapel. As we nervously

checked our names in and took a seat we got a look at

the beautiful room that we were in. Slowly the names

of the 96 Grand Prior awardees got called until...it was

our turn. We made our way up to the front where the

Lord Prior, Professor Anthony Mellow, on behalf of the

Grand Prior, Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester,

awarded us our badge and our certificate which was on

a wooden plaque. We headed back to our seats. After

the service went to the reception and then gradually

trickled back onto the bus. Some of the other state

participants were heading back home that night, so

after dropping them off at the airport we headed back

to Blaxland in a now very empty bus. After dinner that

night we decided to play spotlight and when we finally

headed to bed it was past twelve.

The next morning after breakfast we had to say

goodbye to our new friends, as we headed from

Blaxland for the last time. When we reached the

Sydney Airport at around lunch time we boarded our

plane and headed back to Darwin and home. It was a

wonderful time, and a great experience.


Memories of an old ambo– Alan Caust OStJ JP

It was 1979 in Darwin. All us guys had come from a total male-orientated background as Ambulance Officers and apart from Mandy Langdon in Comms there was nary a female on our professional staff. The only other females on staff were in Administration. Mandy would I believe been the very first appointed female Ambulance Officer under the then St. John Council in the NT and of course before 1979.

Rumours had been circulating about some Government stuff about we had to employ women Ambulance Officers!! OMgosh - no way! There was total resistance to this idealism - it was unheard of as us guys were guys. I still remember fervent discussions between us guys like "Who's gonna back us up in a fight?" and "They can't lift a stretcher!" and even so far as to say - "They'll just cry at something and run away from the scene"!

There was total resistance from us guys - but Management were literally "forced" under equal opportunity legislation to employ female Ambulance Officers. It had been resisted for too long. (Don't get me wrong - it was a great advent to our Ambulance Service in the NT and to this day!). Us guys became confused - and I mean totally confused!

So, along came females onto our staff. Wow! I will never forget at the Casuarina Centre a senior Ambo walking past an Ambulance. A female Ambulance Officer was struggling to lift out of the ambulance one of our really

heavy blue trauma cases - and they were heavy. I was busy polishing a tyre... She cooweed out to him and asked for some help. He snapped back at her - and I will never forget his words - "You're paid the same as the guys - do it yourself! I was shocked. Of course I helped her and we became good mates.

We were called to a rape case in a local area near Casuarina. The woman had been beaten to a pulp. I was treating her and went to just also hold her hand in reassurance - she started screaming. A soft voice spoke over my shoulder - it was my new mate. I instinctively knew and backed away; it was my gender that had violated her. My colleague could do more for that beaten woman in trauma that I could ever attempted to do in reassurance.

That was my start so to speak in realising for myself how valuable it actually is in having mixed crews in gender. I went though similar when I started my nursing career as a male nurse into a female dominated world. It ain't easy and I have kids and so on. I think I understand a little better now......

I sincerely hope so.

Mandy Langdon was the first female ambulance officer employed in Australia, being in the very first intake of paid ambos for St John in the Territory. She started on 2nd February 1976, followed a week later by Beth Dollisson (Shepherd).


BGL test kits – Mark Ferguson

It has come to light that there has been a change in the

BGL machines – with a split between Hospital and

Consumer products – with separate machines and test

strips for each. Abbott Medical has agreed this morning to

replace all the consumer machines we have with the

Hospital machine.

Could I ask that all centres provide ASAP the model and

serial number of all BGL Test machines – this includes any

that may be in FR / Walk around kits or in volunteer

vehicles.

You may find the following machines (written across the

face of the machine)-

Optium Exceed machines that will take any strips

Optium Freestyle machines will only take strips from a

yellow box

Optium Freestyle H machines will only take strips from a

blue box

Optium machines – I am still trying to work out what they

take!

If you have any questions please give me a call

[email protected]

Bupa Corporate Offer

Volunteers can now access the same Corporate Offer as all NT St John Ambulance Paid Employees with Bupa Until February 28th 2013 we are offering the choice of three special offers for any new joins-

1) New Balance gift voucher - $100 for singles or $200 for non-single membership

2) endota spa gift pack – 1 x 30 min massage & product pack (valued at $118) or 2 x 30 min massage & product pack for non-single membership (valued at $236)

or 3) 2 & 6 month waiver on extras

Contact the Volunteer Office for more info and

see the poster on page 7

Assessor Workshop

When: Saturday 16th February, 2013

Where: Casuarina Centre TH 4

Time: 0900 to 1700

All Operations Branch Assessors in the Darwin,

Batchelor and Katherine region are required to attend

Morning, Afternoon teas and Lunch provided

RSVP Due by Wednesday 12th February, 2013

Topics covered: ARC Changes, Assessors List

(Requirements of an assessor), First Aider, First Responder

Accreditation (Booklet handouts for FA and FR) & FR

Reaccreditation Programs,

Questions etc, Working through the 2013 FRR booklet

For further information contact…

8922 6205 or email [email protected]

Apply Advanced First Aid

When: Friday 22nd, Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th

February, 2013

Where: Parap Centre

Time: Friday 1800 - 2200

Saturday 0800 - 1700

Sunday 0800 - 1700

Pre-requisites – Current Apply First Aid or Senior

First Aid certificate.

Nominations and TA17 due by 1st February,

2013. Workbooks will need to be collected from

the Volunteer Office and completed prior to

course.

Lunch on Sunday will be provided. Morning and

afternoon teas on Sat & Sun

All Nominations must go through your

Superintendent.

ALL ENQUIRIES TO:

Volunteer Office

Ph 89226234

[email protected]




weekly newsletter of st john ambulance australia (nt ... · just outside of hobart. ... and we were...

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