Duress and location tracking a lifeline for our bush ambulance officers The Innovation Report showcases the ground-breaking pre-hospital care being delivered around the state by the QAS. This debut report focuses on the organisation’s investment in technology infrastructure services, including satellite push-to-talk radios with location tracking and duress capability. Left
■ Aramac OIC Dan Hovey says the innovative pushto-talk radios with location tracking and duress capability are invaluable for singleresponding officers. Right
■ Mapping showing the satellite push-to-talk devices around the state.
Clocking up two years in the job of Aramac OIC, Dan Hovey said life for the hundreds of single-responding officers across the state has gone from strength to strength thanks to the service’s investments in technology infrastructure, including satellite push-totalk (PTT) radios with location tracking and duress capability.
“That all changed with the introduction of the satellite PTT radios – truly a second pair of hands that connects us to Comms seamlessly – there’s no fiddling around, it’s press and go, saving precious time when we’re on the job. “It is an invaluable resource that has changed our operations. “It’s hard to believe – in the vastness of our LASN, extending from Aramac to Birdsville – a tiny satellite atop our truck pings our location to Comms every thirty seconds. It’s very reassuring to know that when you are hundreds of kilometres away from station, help is literally just a ‘blip’ on the radar away.
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“As well, since late last year we’ve had duress buttons installed in our vehicles, which, when pressed, immediately signals an alarm in Comms, providing us with an extra level of safety – and when we’re travelling, Comms also make half-hourly welfare checks too, as an extra level of care.
“Coming from Brisbane a few years ago I was spoilt with the Government Wireless Network a digital radio network and all the mod cons that come with being in a Metro area…out here, it was a case of juggling a VHF, UHF and satellite phone to connect as Aramac 2495 with Rockhampton Communications Centre, nearby hospitals and Retrieval Services Queensland,” Dan said.
Autumn 2020
“We’re the first state in Australia to have this technology and it’s a real feather in the QAS cap. “I think one of the greatest things the service is doing is looking after those in the bush – us and our patients – whether it’s crucial fleet and infrastructure upgrades like these, or even clinical innovations like the roll out of decision supported fibrinolysis, it really does translate to lives being saved.