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From the front page of the Hills Gazette newspaper re: several closures of the Mundaring Depot.

http://epaper.communitynews.com.au/Repo ... kin-custom

One thing St John loves talking about is that there response times are still under the "average" allowed in most cases. Perhaps people should start asking there local pollies what the response times are in their suburb...might be some interesting replies.
I also loved the quote that said they had been running a successful recruitment campaign since 2004, if that was the case why are they short so many paramedics???

I was working out at the swan view show a week ago when a local pollie was crapping on about making sure that we got more 'ambulance drivers" in the country areas if he was elected in. He wasnt impressed by my reply Paramedics and volunteers sir dont insult them by calling them ambulance drivers.

Markmywords wrote:I was working out at the swan view show a week ago when a local pollie was crapping on about making sure that we got more 'ambulance drivers" in the country areas if he was elected in. He wasn't impressed by my reply Paramedics and volunteers sir don't insult them by calling them ambulance drivers.

That gets my blood boiling. Nothing more insulting.

"oh look love, the ambulance drivers are here, you'll be right now"

Strangely most ambulances ive been in have only one steering wheel. Now whats that we call the Frog in the front left seat.....um.......um......oh yeah, an A T T E N D A N T. Still if all we gotta do is drive least I shan't have to ever pump a chest again for 45 minutes.

Oh and as Drivers just hold the doors open for you then drive: "there ya go luv, just may your way to the ambulance and i'll get the door for you" "but i have a #NOF and cant get up" "well I am just your driver after all" hahaha

ZO100_marto wrote:One thing St John loves talking about is that there response times are still under the "average" allowed in most cases. Perhaps people should start asking there local pollies what the response times are in their suburb...might be some interesting replies.
I also loved the quote that said they had been running a successful recruitment campaign since 2004, if that was the case why are they short so many paramedics???

True that, some areas are farther from a Depot than others. In my formative years we lived 20k from a town. Thus 20 minutes from help. This was our choice to live there and we realized that we couldn't get an ambulance in 10 minutes.

But what most pollies, local councilors, and community interest groups fail to recognize is that - response times are their fault. Ambulances are there for emergencies, not for your average problem that should be sorted out by panadol, bandaids, the chemist, or a GP in the next week. I borrow this material from the "Big White Taxi Service website in the UK"

BTW - Big White Taxi = Ambulance

Here is a bit of advice and guidance for when you should dial up for a Big White Taxi and when you should not dial up for a Big White Taxi.

“Should I dial up?â€

If depots are closing at night SJA need to look at the man power spread, they do alot of recruitment but still dont get bums on seats, i wonder how many are leaving the job or if the turn over is high.

The hospital system is a joke to have ambulances sitting waiting to unload a patient then SJA coming to the rescue by supplying a paramedic and stretchers to look after patients before they get to ED.

Id hate to see the state of the ambulance service if the government even took over running of it..it would be worse than the health system.

Ambul8 wrote:That gets my blood boiling. Nothing more insulting.

"oh look love, the ambulance drivers are here, you'll be right now"

I can see why it would, but I don't think anyone is saying that to deliberately be insulting.


I realise that in today's world, "ambulance drivers" isn't a term that accurately describes what you/they do, but the term "ambulance driver" was used years ago in the UK - for all I know it may still be.

I'm guessing that to the old(er) generation, it's the term they've grown up with and it's the one they'll continue to use.

It may make you grit your teeth whenever you hear it, but I don't think anyone means to cause offence when they say it.

Markmywords wrote: they do alot of recruitment but still dont get bums on seats

They do.....

Remember they employ who they recruit, so at the end of the day they have no one to blame but themselves. They have been short+++ for years but yet still only put 30-50 through the uni course.

BTW, at the end of the day SJA makes the income form taking people to hospital "you call we hall" is there mentality and they hate it when crews "62" jobs. IMO they don't really care about the hospital system and infact probably love ramping as they can use that excuse for the response times being blown out and therefore getting out of the fines issued by the health dept.
Bit like why it took so long for the gov to give them that extra funding a few years back... extra money for more vans = more vans taking people to over crowded ED's

ZO100_marto wrote:BTW, at the end of the day SJA makes the income form taking people to hospital "you call we hall" is there mentality and they hate it when crews "62" jobs. IMO they don't really care about the hospital system and infact probably love ramping as they can use that excuse for the response times being blown out and therefore getting out of the fines issued by the health dept.
Bit like why it took so long for the gov to give them that extra funding a few years back... extra money for more vans = more vans taking people to over crowded ED's

If an ambulance comes to you and it is 62'd. You will still get an invoice.
And it is the WA Govt that sets the mandate for "you call, we haul". From my experience with the Saint, if the could invoke a no send policy, such as what some other states and the UK in particular use, am sure they would.

And why should an ambulance service care about a hospital system. The role of an ambulance service is "pre-hospital care", what happens when the Patient gets to hospital is hardly the concern of the ambulance service.

But in these climates of bed block and ramping, which is a hospital problem (however caused: no staff, over utilization, lack of funding, etc) this grossly and unfairly impacts on the ability of any ambulance service to provide pre-hospital care.

SJA should do a recruitment drive for volunteers for Mundaring. They could assist the paramedics, help the Depo get more funding and most of all be involved in community. Its away to solve the shortages and also allow young and old to feel they are giving back to community. Just a suggestion. (-:

auntys_eyes wrote:From the front page of the Hills Gazette newspaper re: several closures of the Mundaring Depot.

http://epaper.communitynews.com.au/Repo ... kin-custom

bomber wrote:

ems wrote:SJA should do a recruitment drive for volunteers for Mundaring. They could assist the paramedics, help the Depo get more funding and most of all be involved in community. Its away to solve the shortages and also allow young and old to feel they are giving back to community. Just a suggestion. (-:

auntys_eyes wrote:From the front page of the Hills Gazette newspaper re: several closures of the Mundaring Depot.

http://epaper.communitynews.com.au/Repo ... kin-custom

Mundaring is a career crew. The ambulance officers union would not allow the depot to go to a vol/career bus as its in the metro area ( serpy excluded )

Really, I actually didn't know the union controlled that side of the service. Pitty though as it would be beneficial to allow volunteers to assist. Not to take the jobs of Paramedics just to be there to provide support and give a hand when needed. Well hopefully SJA recruits more Paramedics this year to fill the gaps.. (-:

The union hates vollies.....if the union had its way the vollies would be out of mandurah,pinjarra,serpy,two rocks for good.