ADDRESS BY MARTIN ORME
Mr.
Reynolds
Mr. Lawler
Mr. Wood
Mr. Dutton
Mr.
Wilson
Mr. Millar
Mr. Mcauley
Mr. Lilly
Honoured Guests
Ladies and gentlemen.
Many years ago when I worked in Army Office in Canberra I ran across a General who had the most unusual plaque on his desk. It Read “There they go, and I must follow them – For I am their leader”. It was quite a joke around the office and I always thought I understood it until just a few months ago.
When I took on the role of team leader I did so because they wanted someone who had some time on their hands and was prepared to do some work. I had no idea at that time just how much work was needed to set up a group such as this. There is paperwork upon paperwork with agreements and policy documents and plans and reports there is training and communications and equipment and rosters and advertising and sponsorship arrangements and financial accounting and liaison and the list goes on and on. And here is the catch – I didn’t do any of it.
This wonderful group that I have the pleasure of representing today took off at a million miles an hour in a hundred directions and did it all. It was then I realized that the General from Canberra wasn’t sharing a joke with us, nor feigning incompetence. He was merely expressing what it feels like to work with such a dedicated and competent team. You have already met most of the team however there are a few you have not. These people recently joined us and are scant days away from completing the training and being ready to respond. Please stand Grant Blakely, Tony Muscat and Derek Davis. [Assuming they will not be presented along with the rest of us].
This team were only successful in their endeavours because of some wonderful organizations and individuals who helped to make this groups dream a reality. It is now my honour and privilege to pass on our thanks to those concerned.
The Queensland Ambulance Service & The Department of Emergency Services
The QAS initiated the establishment of this group and supplied the majority of our equipment including 2 full kits and most of the third. They trained us and dispatch us and have done everything possible to make us a success. They are the reason we are here and we thank them for ourselves and on behalf of the Samford community.
Grovely QAS Station Ambulance crews and LAC
The Grovely Station are our sponsor station and Russell and the Ambulance Crews there have gone out of their way to help us and make us feel part of the larger team. In particular we want to thank Mick Norris who has spent quite a few of his weekends and weeknight here training us. We also want to thank the Ambulance crews of the Grovely, Eatons Hill, Spring Hill & Roma Street stations who have allowed us to ride along with them and have given of their skill and experience as well as a healthy dose of encouragement. Thanks to them we all feel more confident in dealing with the situations we will find ourselves in.
As a fledgling community service organization it is an honor to be supported by two community based service organizations that are steeped in such tradition. We know the work that you do and the demands that are placed upon your limited resources. That you have banded together to provide us with the third defibrillator allows us three responders on roster at a time and maximizes the chance of us arriving within time is really appreciated.
Can’t Tear ’em
Thank you for your support in the supply of these Overalls, which not only help with identification and visibility at night, but also help keep out the Samford night chill. I also understand that they are fireproof but I couldn’t talk any of the team into demonstrating this property for us today.
The Polymetals Group, Samford
Thank you to the Polymetals Group for your generous cash donation. We have used the money to cover the residual cost of our safety uniforms.
FUNTIME monograms (Embroidery Services)
For contributing to the cost of our safety uniform badges.
Orange (Hutchison Telecoms)
For donating additional pagers for group communications.
Repco Australia (Fortitude Valley)
For providing us with hand held searchlights to help us find our way on the Valleys dark streets.
We also have some organizations whose
contributions while less tangible are just as much appreciated.
Samford Rural Fire Brigade
For providing us with a training and meeting venue during our formation.
For giving us our current home
The Village Pump
For publishing various articles about us!
Australian Emergency Services Volunteer Network
For hosting our web site
Samford Valley Theatre group
For providing the PA system for today.
While the list of our sponsors seems quite long there are still some things we could really use and we are always interested in talking to anyone who would like to help. Please see our web site if you are interested or catch one of us after the meeting.
There is of course one group whose contribution far exceeds those already mentioned. They are also woken by the pager at 4 in the morning, they get left with the dishes, or the cooking when we bolt out the door, some of them struggle to understand why they can’t go with mummy or daddy as we leave without warning. Without their support our job would not be difficult it would be nigh on impossible. They are of course our families.
If it has not already been done I will give a quick run through of how the actual response system works.
By now you are probably aware that we have been responding to incidents for a couple of months now. A few weeks ago while attending an injury at one of the local sporting grounds a responder was amused and flattered when he heard a bystander say. “ Hey we not only have a rural fire brigade here in Samford now we have a rural Ambulance.”.
While this is a flattering statement nothing could be further from the truth. The aid we give does not compare with the advanced care the ambulance provides. The First Responder System works because the advanced care the QAS provide arrive as soon as possible after we get there (actually sometimes before we get there) and because of the support of our allies in these emergencies like the Fire Brigade and the Police service. - So I remind you all in an emergency – don’t call the first responders - call 000.
There is one last thank you before I go. Under normal circumstances I don’t agree with singling out one individual in a team however one of our members Mr Steve Parry has done an enormous amount of work, not only in establishing our group but he was also instrumental in putting together this launch. On behalf of all the responders Thank you Steve for a job well done. It is also Steve’s 50th birthday so Many happy returns.
On that note I would like to thank you all for attending this launch and pass you back to our Master of Ceremonies Mr Peter Wood.