august 26 - september 1 | 2015
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circulating in wangaratta, myrtleford, bright, mt beauty, beechworth, yackandandah, rutherglen, chiltern and districts
Emergency helpers By KYLIE WILSON
TEAMWORK:
Terry O’Keefe and Bruce Forrest share a common bond as ambulance community officers. PHOTO: Kylie Wilson
GARDENING WITH
DEBBI
RSPCA
WITH
DIGGER
FILM
WINE TALK WITH
RICKI AND
THE FLASH
ANITA
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AROUND 18 months ago Bruce Forrest was up to his waist in water, at the bottom of Beechworth Gorge, helping attend to an injured man and his son as part of a larger rescue operation. It was hard work, but the Beechworth resident couldn’t have felt more proud of what he was doing. Bruce, alongside Terry O’Keefe and others, help provide first response medical care for people in their community as Ambulance Community Officers (ACOs) or members of Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) for Ambulance Victoria. A school bus driver and a hobby farmer most of the time, Bruce said he loved to help the community, having been a volunteer with the CFA for many years. ACOs are primary responders in an emergency situation when people require immediate patient care, in areas of the community where Ambulance Victoria branch availability is limited. “I like to learn and practice my skills, and the ambulance is great for that,” Bruce said. “There’s always something going on,” adding that “it’s a good feeling” when he is able to make a difference. For Terry, a long term member of the SES, helping the community is literally in his blood, with his father Doug having been an ambulance officer in Beechworth for many years, and his brother Peter involved with the CFA. “We’re Australian, that’s why we do it,” he said of his work in the community and as an ACO. “It’s a great vocation and provides a service to the community.” A gardener by trade, he relishes the feeling of being prepared to tackle situations through his first aid and emergency training. continued page |
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