May 21, 2013
Commissioner Peter McMurtrie, AO, was the special guest at Monday night’s meeting of the St John Ambulance Cadets in Kingaroy.
The Commissioner, accompanied by SE Qld Staff Officer Cadets Alan Cunningham, travelled from Brisbane to inspect the recently formed St John (Qld) Kingaroy Combined Division.
The Division, launched in January after the State Government withdrew funding from the former SES Cadets program, is going from strength to strength.
Divisional Manager Naomi Beutel said there were now between 35 and 40 junior and senior cadets taking part in the program and 15 adult volunteers.
They meet every Monday night from 6:30pm-8:30pm at the Kingaroy SES Headquarters in Glendon Street.
If anything, the program is almost proving too popular … the Division is now looking for more adult cadet leaders to join, especially medical officers, doctors, nurses or paramedics who could volunteer their services.
Naomi said that since the Division opened, St John had been called upon to provide services at campdrafts, rodeos, the Kingaroy Anzac Day Parade and the recent RSPCA Million Paws Walk. This had helped to free up the Queensland Ambulance Service for emergency calls.
Cadets have the opportunity to train to become “first responders”, and once they turn 18, “advanced responders”.
Another guest at Monday night’s meeting was South Burnett Deputy Mayor Keith Campbell who said he had taken a personal interest in the St John Cadets since the funding for the SES Cadets had been cut.
He welcomed St John to the South Burnett and embraced the work they were doing.
Commissioner McMurtrie said St John had a long history, dating back to the Crusades. He told the cadets that they were part of a worldwide organisation with branches all over the Commonwealth.
He said it was now up to the Cadets to make the most out of the opportunities offered to them but he pledged the organisation would do whatever it could to help.
“We will keep up your training and support,” he said.
If you are interested in joining the Kingaroy Division, contact Naomi on 0417-578-623 or visit the St John website
- Related article: St John Enrols Former Cadets
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