June 24, 2014
by Marcus Priaulx
Barambah PaCE
Peter Mickelo’s adrenaline surged during his first job as an ambulance officer …
A man was trapped under fallen scaffolding five metres high and had slashed his wrists on the debris.
His mates tried to stem the bleeding using beach towels but with no success.
Peter and his senior officer put combine pads on the wounds and bandaged them before rushing the man to Royal Brisbane Hospital.
He survived.
“It was pretty graphic; a shed load of blood everywhere,” Peter, 46, said.
“My heart was pretty well pumping after seeing the wounds – I felt pretty happy and thankful we got him there alive.”
* * *
Fifteen years on Peter still loves his job and says he’s glad he graduated from Murgon State High School or he’d never been able to do it.
Peter also has a high regard for the teachers that taught him.
“They made us want to learn,” he said.
“They made lessons interesting and myself and a lot of Indigenous students wanted to turn up for school. They treated you not just as a student but as a person and sometimes like their own children.”
This made Peter want to be a teacher.
When he graduated from Year 12 he was accepted into three universities and chose James Cook in Townsville.
But after eight months he realised teaching was not for him. He then worked in childcare centres at Atherton, Brisbane and his hometown of Cherbourg.
Then he worked as a Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council groundsman and with a community police officer before Cyril Fisher suggested he try out for the ambulance.
* * *
Peter had never given the service a thought before, but was curious.
He completed a written and physical examination and was chosen ahead of five applicants to do a two-month Brisbane training stint.
There he did CPR, defibrillator and other lifesaving lessons, completed exams, driver safety training, abseiling and orienteering (the latter left students in the bush with a compass, a map and instructions to find their way out).
Graduates like Peter were then placed with a station.
“I chose Spring Hill because I wanted somewhere I thought would be busy,” he said.
After his first job Peter knew he’d found the type of work he wanted to do.
He’s also thankful he went to school and finished Year 12 or he believes he’d never have been chosen for the role.
“What helps in the ambulance is being able to work with different and diverse people in the community,” he said.
“School teaches you that as well.
“I tell students to work on building a rapport with their teachers.
“When I was in high school they were there to help and guide you. It was like they were our friends. They wanted you to succeed.
“If you get on with people you can make school work for you.
“And it will give you a better life.”
