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We are the only emergency ambulance service in greater Wellington and the Wairarapa, and the only ones in the country who are free.
We are the only emergency ambulance service in greater Wellington and the Wairarapa, and the only ones in the country who are free.
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National Volunteer Week: Brian
National Volunteer Week: Brian
17 June 2020
Event Medic Brian says volunteering is a great way to give something back to your community. He is one of many of our incredible volunteers we're celebrating as part of National Volunteer Week.
The Wairarapa resident and high school teacher is part of a large team of event medics who provide medical cover at public events in Wairarapa and Wellington including Martinborough Fair, Wings Over Wairarapa, Country Music Festival and various sporting and community events.
Brian, a member of the Wairarapa Heartbeat Team helps train our communities in CPR. “We want to make Wairarapa and Wellington the safest place in New Zealand to have a cardiac arrest by ensuring everyone in our community knows how to do CPR,” he says.
Highlights of his volunteer work is meeting the community, “they are generally so happy to see us and not just when they need help, they thank us for being at the event.”
Occasionally Brian will get requests for an on-the-spot diagnosis, on these occasions he refers people to their GP unless it is an emergency.
Some events he’s unlikely to forget, like having to extricate a patient amidst the crowds at Westpac Stadium after they had bent over to pick up a drink and dislocated their hip in the process.
Most events take place on the weekend says Brian, but some like the New Zealand Cycle Classic earlier in the year take place during the week.
“It’s nice to have something different to do in the weekends especially since I’ve always had an interest in first aid,” says Brian.
The Wairarapa College English teacher says his first responder training has also come in handy at school for students with sporting injuries, broken legs and dislocated knees.
Brian says volunteering for Wellington Free is like being part of a large team. “Everyone is so friendly and nothing is too much trouble.”
“There is regular training and the front-line crews are happy to help us keep our skills up-to-date.”
He sees volunteering as an opportunity to give back to Wellington Free after his daughter, previously an Ambulance Transfer Nurse who worked closely with the Patient Transfer Service, became a patient herself, and received the best possible care.
“They were fantastic and now I can pay forward their kindness,” he says.
Fancy joining Brian and the Event Medic team? If you’re interested in volunteering with Wellington Free Ambulance can find more on our volunteer page.
If you’re keen to help your community, we would love to hear from you.