Team of new first responders welcomed in Rushworth community

Rushworth will now have eight new ambulance community officers (ACOs) ready and raring to go after they hit the road in the region last month.

Having completing a three-month training program provided by Ambulance Victoria (AV), the first responders have already attended several cases and been actively involved in continuing recruitment and engagement.

Loddon's Paramedic Community Support co-ordinator Josh King said ACOs played an important role in supporting AV's response in emergencies in rural and remote Victoria, working alongside paramedics to deliver exceptional patient care.

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"ACOs are members of our community, have a genuine community spirit, and an interest in patient care," he said.

"We would welcome more locals in the community to consider becoming an ACO in Rushworth - and would encourage people to put their hands up and get involved to help locals in their time of need."

ACOs are dispatched at the same time as AV paramedics to a Triple Zero (000) call and due to their location and proximity to the local community they serve, they will most likely arrive prior to the ambulance.

"They attend traffic accidents, respiratory and cardiac cases and other incidents requiring emergency care to provide early medical intervention and support for patients, while paramedics are on the way," Mr King said.

"Medical training is not required to apply for an ACO role as AV provides training to develop and maintain your life-saving skills."

ACOs also undertake additional driver and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) training as they are also involved with transporting patients to hospital if required.

ACOs are trained to provide advanced first-aid in rural and remote communities where the ambulance caseload is low.

"ACOs are employed on a casual basis to work at either a community branch, or to support a paramedic branch and are trained to work in a team of two, and provide a support service to paramedics," Mr King said.

"They may be employed, self-employed, not working or semi-retired."

Another way locals can help improve health outcomes in the local community is by becoming a GoodSAM responder.

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"The GoodSAM app connects Victorians in cardiac arrest with responders and automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in the critical minutes before paramedics arrive," Mr King said.

Responders receive an alert if they are close to the person in cardiac arrest.

They are given the address of the patient, along with the location of the closest defibrillator (if one is available), so they can begin lifesaving care while an ambulance is on its way.

"You don't have to have experience or a medical background, you just have to be willing and able to do hands-on CPR, be over 18 years of age and have access to a smartphone," Mr King said.

Anyone can save a life by going to heartrestarter.com.au and signing up as a GoodSAM Responder.

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