September 2, 2022
The Kingaroy Local Ambulance Committee (LAC) held its Annual General Meeting followed by a general meeting on August 30 at Kingaroy Ambulance Station.
A special guest was the newly appointed Toowoomba-based Queensland Ambulance Service District Director Russell Cooke whose area encompasses the South Burnett.
QAS Kingaroy officer-in-charge Mei-Lin Dean and all 11 LAC members attended the AGM.
President Darryl Dove said Mr Cooke was full of praise for the Kingaroy LAC and acknowledged its work acting as a vital link with the community by promoting CPR Awareness / AEDs and the Emergency Plus app.
“With the help of community donations and other grants, the Kingaroy LAC has purchased vital equipment and training aids used not only in its CPR Awareness program, but also to support our paramedics in their everyday pre-hospital response care,” Mr Dove said.
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Highlights from the President’s Report:
- As at August 30, there are 18 paramedics at the Kingaroy Station, covering 24/7 shifts.
- Attempts to hold a “meet and greet” barbecue to welcome new staff and to offer departing staff best wishes were put on hold on a few occasions due to various reasons, including COVID.
- An end-of-year thank-you celebration for community groups was hosted by the Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington.
- Under 8s Week in June was again a great success.
- CPRA peer training with QAS trainer Michelle Molyneux was held on August 16.
- In the last 12 months CPRA/AED demonstrations for approximately 210 people were held with the following groups: Probus, Kingaroy Golf Club, Kingaroy Bowls Club, Kingaroy Men’s Shed, Kingaroy Sporting & Croquet Club, CTC clients and staff, Wooroolin Hotel and Ulysses Burnett Branch members. Bunnings held a twilight outdoor event which included emergency services and a CPRA demonstration.
- A grant of $23,916 from Gambling Community Benefit Fund was finally approved in October 2021 and equipment supplied in April 2022 with the missing HoverJack arriving in May. (HoverMatt Lift, HoverJack and Accessories $12,154: Femo Venice Power Chair $9620 and 20 x Leatherman Raptor Shears $2142).
- A birthing manikin was originally donated (about 2005) by way of a Tarong Power Station Community Grant. This mannequin has received considerable regular use as a vital training aid, initially while Kingaroy was a training station for QAS staff in the area, and subsequently for frequent ongoing staff training sessions. As a consequence of age, deterioration, and normal wear and tear the abdomen has been torn and is in need of replacement. To date, all efforts to source a replacement abdomen have been fruitless, largely due to the manikin’s age. Replacing this mannequin will be an ongoing project to source funding.
- Bissell portable Spot Upholstery Cleaner was purchased by the LAC in August 2022 to better enable staff to clean seats in vehicles, as staff had previously been using their own personal equipment.
- Members participated in three fundraising raffles at Kingaroy RSL in the past 12 months. The LAC receives an average of $300 for Friday and Saturday night raffles.
- Members attended the LAC State Conference on the Gold Coast in June. LAC member Abigail Andersson attended was presented with her five years’ service pin by QAS Commissioner Craig Elmer.
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