Author Topic: SAAS Making it harder to Volunteer !!!! (Read 24764 times)

VollyAmbo · « **Reply #25 on:** June 10, 2010, 11:43:04 AM »

[Mod Note: The issue has been reported through the appropriate process.
Cheers, Mike]
[/quote]

Thank you Moderator Mike.... Just to put everyone in the picture I received two private messages today highlighting how both name and email identity theft or misuse can easily happen on this forum either in registration or after set up. Without high lighting how this is done, I am thankful and I'm sure everyone else is grateful the moderators are on the case.

VollyAmbo · « **Reply #26 on:** June 10, 2010, 11:46:51 AM »

alloutthere

I agree with you that some volunteers are just dangerous including some who exceed the new expect training and on road hours.

Check the back page of the new CEP book and you will note the new expected hours have been implemented.

I am a true believer in self education, so again no argument.

I'm just sad to see good volunteers who are OK clinically punished and disregarded by management because of work/life pressures cant meet these new expected hours. Just like SACFS, SASES volunteers are expected to do more and more often without support.

crashndash · « **Reply #27 on:** June 10, 2010, 03:02:25 PM »

lol....obviously not in you're end of the world alloutthere.... but in some Regions, specifically Central, its gone out and people have received letters asking them to provide reasons why they shouldnt be booted and to sign contracts ensuring they will meet the requirement.

I'm very happy to have a system that guarantees patient outcomes,bring it on I say - read my comments earlier again.....this latest requirement is not about that - its about MAKING people be on a roster and arses on seats. It has everythign to do with reporting crew gaps to SA Health and the state of the volunteer workforce

Blackfoot · « **Reply #28 on:** June 10, 2010, 04:12:25 PM »

Just to reiterate the message - if ambulance volly's from Adelaide are sick of the the SAAS demands then consider the alternative. A volunteer ambulance NGO that respects volunteers for their service to the community, not to the socialist medicine state. Although a few members of this forum may find that difficult to deal with and indeed may be persons that have not met the entry criteria due to medical problems be assured that when the government finally closes the last volunteer station we will still be operating for persons too poor to afford the state ambulance service.

crashndash · « **Reply #29 on:** June 10, 2010, 09:18:41 PM »

hahahah.....bet you're not

crashndash · « **Reply #30 on:** June 10, 2010, 09:24:05 PM »

and just to re-iterate the point I made previously that was kindly removed by the Moderators.....

I would not consider working with the EMT Ambulance organisation. The thread relating to their company explains my reasons why.

If you want to tout for members in a thread.....dont go running to the umpire when the answer comes back that no-one wants to play

disOrderly · « **Reply #31 on:** June 10, 2010, 10:45:29 PM »

Wow this is getting quite heated!

Relax guys!

I tried to be a volunteer with SAAS Strathalbyn, but I was knocked back for being a student/not being from Strath and was also told that they were not recruiting because they were not training this year.

I was told however, that Goolwa has been struggling to fill shifts and desperately wants people, but they haven't been allowed to recruit either.

But I still think that saying paid staff who have less contact hours, but many years experience and qualifications and would still maintain their training should not be able to practice is not correct. These people don't drive around all day to attend to patients and are used to respond when resources are low, they are there to stabilise and assess, similar to what volunteers can do.

Alan (Big Al) · « **Reply #32 on:** June 11, 2010, 10:09:12 AM »

Goolwa have been struggling to fill some shifts, not uncommon for a para to be on with a vollie or para's manning their truck or even a para car from victor or FP76 sitting at their station for a shift.... Bit sad considering they have 30 people on the books there.

Disorderly i am surprised they knocked you back for not living in strath, probably two thirds of goolwa's members live elsewhere.

Goolwa station are running a recruit drive around september/october for a february start....

straps · « **Reply #33 on:** June 11, 2010, 10:35:00 AM »

Can't talk about recent times, but Strath always had a 'rule' that its vollies had to live within the town. I did 10 years at Goolwa and saw many Adelaide people try and do work at Strath station and were always knocked back...

As a side note and slightly O/T - I am somewhat reluctant to post in these medical / first aid / ambulance threads, due to the hiding behind pseudonyms / profiles that people do (and the multiple profiles etc). Whilst I accept that annonyminity does provide some 'cover' for greater free speech, people should have the balls to have their say and be transparent in doing so...

Just my thoughts...

Cheers
Shane

allouthere · « **Reply #34 on:** June 11, 2010, 11:42:26 AM »

SAAS has changed the recruiting this year it now works on a 2 year cycle my station is recruiting now and we need all the help we can get having only 5 crew puts alot of presure on others.

The thought of stations not takiing people on because they dont reside in the station catchment is pathetic. i cant live in the town of my station cause of my partners work we have to live within 8 minutes of his station.

i think we should give it ago this year and see what happens at the end of the day we are vollys and what are they going to do sack us we have support through the AEA if anybody thinks they are being unfairly treated then find out who your nearest AEA rep is or contact the AEA for advice.

I realise that volunteeing is harder for somepeople and i do find it hard but manage my 12 hours a week.

Also can somebody tell me where they found out the amount of hours SAAS wants all i can find in the CDP book is 1 shift aweek and 2 trainings a month.

straps · « **Reply #35 on:** June 11, 2010, 11:58:53 AM »

Quote

think we should give it ago this year and see what happens at the end of the day we are vollys and what are they going to do sack us we have support through the AEA if anybody thinks they are being unfairly treated then find out who your nearest AEA rep is or contact the AEA for advice.

Ummm, why would the AEA want to know or care... And they certainly aren't likely to assist with the plight of vollies, I wouldn't think..!!?!??! (Unless something dramatic has happened in the last few years...)

Cheers
Shane

6739264 · « **Reply #36 on:** June 11, 2010, 11:53:55 PM »

Wow... Whats worse than Ambos? VOLLO Ambos...

(Like you can't apply THAT to teh Fire Service?)

Play nice kiddies

straps · « **Reply #37 on:** June 12, 2010, 01:41:26 AM »

Hey Numbers,
My apologies if my comments about the AEA seemed harsh.. Wasn't intended to irk anyone, just more stating my previous experience. I have a huge amount of time and respect for vols (in all services), but a union is a union and I can't imagine the UFU going into battle for the plight of CFS volunteers..??!!!

The concept of volunteering is drastically changing and people commit less time at shorter notice now days... An average emergency service vol used to have about 2 - 3 years service before leaving, I wonder whether that has reduced and whether the respective services are changing their crewing / rostering and more importantly their training to reflect this and STILL meet community expectations...

I completely agree that we should provide the highest level of service to any community but is there an argument to have some form of response v's none..

Cheers
Shane

amboman69 · « **Reply #38 on:** June 24, 2010, 10:17:03 PM »

Hi all,

Just got around to reading this thread.

Firstly, I don't think you will find it written anywhere that PTS/ESS staff have to work a minimum of 160 hours per year to maintain accreditation - because there is no accreditation, no CDP's no nothing!! - Well, that is not quite true, did have one a couple of years ago.

Secondly, there are plenty of managers who squeeze themselves into their uniform and call themselves paramedics - even though the last clinical thing they did was to put a bandaid on their grandkids teddybear. It should be automatic accreditation for everyone, no tick on the sheet, no wear the uniform.

Having made that last statement might I add that I don't think that qualifications or hours spent in the truck are the main things that make a good ambo. I know plenty of career ambos with years of experience who are clinically incompetent, degree carrying paramedics who know all the correct terminology but don't know which end of the patient to look at first. I also know vollees without any (non SAAS) clinical background and who only attend one job per month who I would literally trust with my life.

It all comes down to knowing the basics, knowing your limitations, keeping a cool head, being a good detective with regards to scene and history and knowing when to call for advice and backup. They are the ones who come back from a job muttering, "The hospital said it appeared to be unstable angina" and then disappear into the world of Google or the volume on cardiac conditions to find out more on the subject.

excelcare · « **Reply #39 on:** November 30, 2010, 07:52:24 AM »

There will always be SAAS volunteer stations in rural SA. And by the way your founding members could have gone rural to maintain your skills instead.

saambo · « **Reply #40 on:** November 30, 2010, 10:00:04 AM »

Quote from: Blackfoot on June 10, 2010, 09:01:06 AM

A problem is an opportunity looking for a place to happen. If you blokes who travel from Adelaide to near country stations to do your now compulsory 12 hour shift no longer want to volunteer for the government then consider alternatives. There is a small non emergency ambulance service owned and run by volunteers who are on the road every night of the week in metro Adelaide. Not for profit humanitarian NGO.

WOW Blackfoot it looks look you are actively seeking new volunteer paramedics for EMT Ambulance SA as you keep refering to the only NGO Ambulance Service in Adelaide... I have visited the EMT website and it says the group is a volunteer guild of paramedics? Who is actually a qaulified paramedic within the group?

excelcare · « **Reply #41 on:** November 30, 2010, 11:53:51 PM »

There are no suitably qualified paramedics with SA EMT Service.

boredmatrix · « **Reply #42 on:** November 30, 2010, 11:56:55 PM »

Ah yes...but what is a paramedic??

Until registration happens...there'd is nothing stopping anyone using the term.

Heaven help us if St John ever worked that out......there'd be an army of black and white "paramedics" at every major event......

medic · « **Reply #43 on:** December 01, 2010, 04:04:12 PM »

Hey to all those out there knocking Strath. I know personally two people who live in Adelaide and go to Strath to volunteer. They have said that they have found the station to treat them with open arms and have had good support from all the crew and RTL. These people came from another station where they lived in the country town but where treated as lepors but where still expected to fill the roster and called upon often when there was a short fall. They have nothing but praise for Strath.

disOrderly · « **Reply #44 on:** December 02, 2010, 02:21:30 PM »

I have been to Strath station since this has happened (and I know a few members from Strath) and I know that the people there are pretty cool.

But I still have the letter saying otherwise :p

excelcare · « **Reply #45 on:** December 31, 2010, 08:08:41 PM »

As if that would happen in your time, Blackfoot.

Author Topic: SAAS Making it harder to Volunteer !!!! (Read 24764 times)

VollyAmbo

VollyAmbo