WA Radio Scanner Users' Group

MMW - That has not been the case since I have been employed - will ask some of the old timers.

The Ambulance service is entirely separate entity however we do work closely with the volunteers.

The volunteers can also be trained right up to Intensive Care Paramedic level, the only ambulance service in Australia to do that! It is alot to expect somebody to volunteer that much time, however once qualified they will get flogged with casual shifts if they dont apply for a permanent position. Most vollies stop after Clinical 1 & Driving - which qualifies them to attend and be part of a crew, however they are limited as to what they can perform - very similar to WA's vollies however ours' get more drugs (I'm pretty certain). This training will qualify them as a Student Paramedic or "Qualified Ambulance Officer" as they can choose to stay at this level and not progress.

In the NT we have 3 level's

1. Student Paramedic (Qualified Ambulance Officer)
2. Paramedic
3. Intensive Care Paramedic

what criteria and studies are required in NT to become ICP ?

Para: Cheers for that, good to know that SJA up that way are proactive in training with the vollies.

Do they have vollie/paramedic crews or just soley one or the other ?

To be an ICP you are required to complete the Advanced Diploma of Paramedical Science, complete clinical log books then pass in Viva Voce which is a verbal question & answer session with a senior member of the paramedic training college (PTC), the operations manager and they sometimes throw in another member of the PTC. Once this is done all documents are sent to SMO for review and issue of your authority to practise.

However once you've completed the course your permitted to practise ICP skills under supervision to enable you to complete your clinical log books.

Once the vollies are qualified they are able to work just like any member of paid staff.

Sometime's 2 vollies will roster themselves on and it will give us an additional car, sometimes they jump on as thirds and we rotate job for job, and sometimes they are offered casual paid shifts - depends on what they want to do, and where they are.

Some small centres work with a volly, and a paid, and when they cant get a volly they work with 2 paid - pretty flexible.

Sounds like you have a good working relationship between vols and paid.. Well done.

Two Ferno Stretchers, how do they get the Left one to work well, how do they get it to avoid the wheel arch.

SJA NT probably have the best relationship between volunteers and paid crews that i have seen Australia wide. Not too many people progress through past Clin 1 logbooks though (most have trouble getting them completed) as it does require a high level of commitment and most people with full time jobs can't give that much volunteer time.

The stretcher on the passenger side of the vehicle sits on the ramp/plinth(as they call it) so it avoids the wheel arches that way. Underneath is some storage space both at the rear and side doors. Most crews don't like to use it as it's quite a hassle to get it up there when loading a patient as you have to push it up hill.

Forgot to add aswell that the explorer now has more markings on the front last time i was up in darwin and saw it. Think it has ambulance in reverse and 2 orange stripes going up the bonnet

Interesting stuff SJANT - Appreciate the info...

Any body Know if Kathy Stevens still works for NT Ambulance Service?
She was with us at Wanneroo Brigade (St Johns)

No one by that name currently working on road.

I was told she went to Qld.
She was a boss of some sort....She was from Wanneroo Brigade in Perth,
I was in NT in 1991 competeing in the Aust.First Aid Champ....when I saw her last