CHAPTER ELEVEN

The story below appeared in the Riverine Grazier newspaper over a number of weeks in July and
August 2019. Some of what appears in this story has already been covered above.

FIFTY YEARS OF PERMANENT SERVICE - 21ST JULY 1969 TO 21ST JULY 2019

After leaving school in 1965 Robert tried a number of jobs, fruit picking, working in a grocery store, TV
antenna installer and TV valve jockey back in the days before transistors and chips. If a valve was not
glowing you replaced it, always turning the TV off before changing one of the high tension valves their
kick could put you on the other side of the room. Almost being electrocuted by twice by the boss, I
decided to look for something else to do. Having been brought up on a farm for seventeen years, I had
decided that farming was not an option. On the 14th May 1969 whilst working in the electrical business I
decided to joined the Honorary Ambulance Staff of the then Goulburn District Ambulance Service, just to
see what it would be like. If someone had said that back then you will spend the next fifty years as an
Ambulance Officer, I would have probably questioned their mental state.

During this time, I was asked if would like to put in an application for a permanent position, someone
must have noticed something about me. Two things about being on the Honorary staff back then, first you
got you know if you liked the job, warts and all, second the permanent officers very quickly knew if you
could do the job. Simple. The application form was a double sided A4 page, not what it is today. Knowing
a couple of the Board Members may have helped, local farmers. This was done and I commenced
permanent employment on the 21st July 1969. This now makes it fifty years of permanent service with
the "NSW Ambulance Service" or is that, "The Ambulance Service of NSW", more on that later.

There were some interesting officers at Goulburn all coming from various backgrounds as Officers did
back then. The barber, a number of motor mechanics and a member of the forces and some general
knock-a-bouts. The boss at the time was Superintendent Robert McRobert, Mr. Mac, great boss. His son
Peter become an ambulance officer, he was supposed to be at university, but had joined the ambulance
service in Sydney, not telling his father for six months or more. Things were a little “blue” around the
station for a few days when Mr. Mac found out. Peter was the fourth officer appointed to Hay.

In July 1974, I applied for a promotion as relieving Station Officer at Tumbarumba and relieving at Batlow,
nearly as cold as Goulburn. Tumbarumba was an interesting place. The then station officer George was
a smoker, each morning when you swept the floor under the desk you collected enough tobacco to make
another roll your own. I had the opportunity to do a week’s relief at Batlow a couple of years ago, just for
old times sake. Our eldest daughter being born in Batlow before we moved to Hay.

In April 1975 I was offered the position of the permanent Station Officer at either, Coleambally, Hay or
Ivanhoe by the then District Superintendent John Bradford, one of life's true gentlemen and a great boss.
You could have a disagreement, discussion or argument with him and the matter was dealt with and then
forgotten. The same could not be said for many of his successors. Hay was chosen for a number of
reasons, it had an established Hospital and that Cheryl was a Registered Nurse, that was over forty-four
years ago. The initial intention was to stay in Hay for six to twelve months and then move up in the ranks
to a bigger place. Hay was a safe and great place to live, still is and bring up children. When I looked at
what was involved in moving up the rank / administrative levels, I decide to stay in the clinical line. I am
so glad I did. What I see the administrator having to deal with today is certainly not my cup of tea.

I took up the position as the first permanent Station Officer of what was then the Hay District Ambulance
Service. From its inception in 1938 the Hay District Ambulance Service was conducted by Volunteer
Ambulance Officers or Bearers as they were known. The Volunteers were lead by an Honorary
Superintendent and his Deputy and managed by a local Committee.
When I commenced duties on the 1st May 1975, there were about thirteen Volunteers drawn from all
walks of life from within the town and some from outside town. These Honorary Officers undertook all the
ambulance transports, many of them to Melbourne with Nurse escorts. Some of these trips to Melbourne
resulted in shopping exposes. There was some dissent amongst the Honorary Officers and Nurses at the
time as to the benefits of having a permanent officer appointed to Hay. It did curtail the shopping
expeditions in Melbourne. There was a constant stream of information flowing from Hay back to
Superintendent John Bradford in Wagga about what I was, or was not doing as it was seen by either
side. Eventually things settled when it was seen that having someone who could respond immediately
was a benefit and Volunteers did not have to leave their jobs or businesses to do ambulance cases.
Particularly when there were four officers and the hospital did not always have to provide nurse escorts.

There were many hair raising jobs back in the Volunteer days, I still have the old records and the data of
the cases on computer. The first case undertaken by the Honorary Service was on the 28th September
1938, a patient with a “dislocated neck” from Hay Hospital to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, 910
kilometres and 20 hours and 45 minutes. A patient from Hay Hospital to Sydney Hospital November 1944
“maternity” 1550 kilometres, 59 hours. The longest, a patient from Mossgiel, a village 158 kilometres
north of Hay near Ivanhoe to Sydney in July 1945, suffering a “stroke” 1740 kilometres return to Hay, 80
hours. The above times are from the time the ambulance left Hay until it returned. Dare I mention
“fatigue”. One must remember here that at that time all roads in and out of Hay were dirt, gravel or mud.
Hay was virtually isolated for three months during the 1956 floods.

We did wonder what sort of town we were coming to, the weekend before we arrived a Police Officer was
shot at Maude by a young man who had gone on a rampage in a bus. Then three weeks after we arrived
there was a flood in the river, with no rain in sight.

Our family arrived and took up residence in the Gaol house on the eastern side, with the verandah at the
back doubling as the Ambulance Station and office until October 1977 when a second permanent Officer,
Colin Honeyman a local lad of some note, was appointed to Hay. The old ambulance station in Lachlan
Street next to the tennis courts was modified and we moved into it until the now old ambulance station in
Murray Street was built. I have worked in four ambulance stations in Hay, the eastern Gaol house, the old
station in Lachlan Street next to the tennis courts, the now NSW Parks and Wildlife Office in Murray
Street and currently in the Station in the Hay Hospital.

I have worked with forty-five permanent ambulance officers who were either posted to, or applied to
come that have transitioned through Hay in past forty-two years. Bearing in mind that most of these
Officers were from the city, “posted” to Hay via having their name drawn out of the “vomit” bowl. Many
stayed for their mandatory two years before they could apply to move on, some moved sooner. There
were many more officers who undertook short term relief at Hay.

There were those who came from the city to show the country bumpkins how it is done. What they did not
realise was that there is a vast difference once you passed through the "granite curtain" between city and
country, still is. When you go to Booligal, Maude, Oxley and beyond, you are on your “pat malone”. A
sobering thought for those city officers, that when you have to travel 160 kilometres to a case, you are
there with limited to no backup for hours, sometimes on your own. In the early days the ambulance radio
only covered 25 to 30 kilometres around Hay. Most of the radio communications outside that area were
done by UHF radios to the local properties then by phone to one of the co-ordination centres. The local
farmers were often our only life line and back up. If you could not get there with the Ambulance, one of
the farmers would meet you in their trusty 4x4 and take you there. You did what you had to do back then
to make it work. One of our intrepid "starwars" Officers was heading to Booligal one day on his own at
"warp" speed in Car 54, when a rear tyre blew. Phils' first words were "beam me up Scotty". He managed
to bring the starship enterprise to a stop. What now, call the nearest farmer on the UHF radio for
assistance.
The nearest farmer came and picked Phil up and took him and what equipment was needed to the
scene. The other farmer came changed the tyre and brought the ambulance to the accident scene.
Unconventional, certainly, but it all worked.

There have been two occasions that I can recall where an officer was left at the scene of an accident with
a seriously injured patient with a oxy-viva, Level 4 drug kit and a first aid kit waiting for a second
ambulance to come, may be thirty minutes or more. The most serious of the two was being urgently
transported to meet a Doctor and then hospital. I am told that being left on the scene and to see the
ambulance disappear is very challenging.

I have worked with Dean Smith for the longest time, Dean has been in Hay for over 31 years. The next
longest stint is Julie Darlow who was in Hay for seven years and six months. The shortest stay was four
months. There was a saying back then, “its the Hay way or the Highway”, if you can’t conform to Hay, hit
the road.
By the same token there were many Officer who were skilled in Hay that moved up the the ranks and skill
levels in the Ambulance Service. A couple making it to Area Manager and District Inspectors, a few to
Intensive Care Paramedics and a couple have gone on to become Doctors. There have been some very
interesting characters over the years, who shall remain nameless. However, I do have a current list of
ALL Officers who served at Hay as either permanent or on relief.

There have been many changes over the past fifty years. When I joined in 1969 all you needed was a
First Aid Certificate, then after twelve months you undertook a three week training school in Sydney. The
lecturer for many years at the Sydney training school was an Mr. Alan Bailey. His son at Leeton was my
mentor (tormentor) for the first twelve months after my ALS training.

After the three weeks training you were then let loose working on your own on the unsuspecting public. I
still remember the first maternity case shortly after that first training school. Not long having returned from
the training school where you practiced delivery with a rag doll though an equally silly constructed pelvis.
Three AM a transfer of a pregnant lady from a house in Goulburn direct to Canberra hospital about
seventy minutes, it was her sixth child, five previous boys, this one was to be adopted out. Two officers
loaded the patient and headed for Canberra, contractions about every five to ten minutes. About thirty
minutes on the road the patient must have known birth was imminent. She asked “have either of you
delivered a baby before”? After a short pregnant pause I said “no, but we know all about it”. The baby
was a girl and she kept it.

Today you need a University degree in pre hospital care to be accepted into the Ambulance Service and
rarely do you work on your own, we still do at Hay on occasions. The treatment that Ambulance
Paramedics can do today is unbelievable compared to the past. Back then “trilene” was the medication
given for pain, it was actually better at removing grease from the carpet or your clothes, than it was in
relieving pain. If any of you are old enough to remember going into the “dry cleaners” in the olden days it
was the smell of trilene that hit you when you walked in the door. Fortunately, trilene was replaced by
Entonox, much better at relieving pain. Oxygen was given if you had breathing problems like asthma or
were having a heart attack. There was a saying back then, pick em up and travel very quickly.

In the early days in Goulburn most of the jobs were motor vehicle accidents, the days before seat belts.
There were minimal medical and hospital transfer cases as patients were treated by the Doctors in the
hospital, only the very serious were transferred. Very few Mental Health cases were encountered. Today
fewer motor vehicle accidents, less injuries due to better cars and seatbelts, medical cases and hospital
transfers have increased along with a marked increase in Mental Health and drug related cases. I
remember one Easter weekend at Hay back in the eighties, four accidents, four fatalities and thirteen
injured in less than fifty kilometres on the Balranald road. It was not unusual to have up to fifteen fatal
accidents in a twelve month period, today thankfully, the number of fatal accidents are much less.
I along with others of that era in Goulburn attended many horrific accidents along Lake George, in the
Cullerin Range near Gunning and towards Marulan. Most were head-on accidents where the occupants
of the cars were ejected, not wearing seatbelts. Each car containing at least four people and you
expected at least four to be dead, the others seriously injured.
Treat and transport the injured and go back for the deceased. One ambulance and maybe two Officers
depending what time of the day. Call for a second ambulance to attend, if you were lucky. I remember an
Easter weekend in the Cullerin Range, early hours of the morning, triaged two accident scenes before I
got to the the third one which was the original report. Picked up patients from the other two scenes on the
way back.

I still remember the last motor vehicle accident I attended before I left Goulburn in 1974. About four am in
the morning, called to a car hit a tree accident along Lake George between Goulburn and Canberra. I set
off on my own, that’s how it was back then. Arrived at the scene to join the one and only police Officer. A
quick reconnaissance to find that a car containing five occupants had hit a large tree, the driver dead, a
passenger thrown from the car dead and three seriously injured patients. I asked the only Police Officer if
there was another police car close, “no”, the nearest is Canberra, well that’s where I’m going and I need
a driver. ACT ambulance at the time would not cross the boarder into NSW. We, the Police Officer and I
loaded the three serious patient into the four stretcher ambulance. As I was about leave the scene, the
police Officer stated you will meet a police car up the road. Closed the back doors and jumped in the
drivers’ seat, leaving the patients to look after themselves until I met the police car. A burly ACT police
Sergeant jumped in the drivers’ seat and I got into the back to find that one of the patients was now
deceased, so did my best for the other two. The “crash” wagon with a large V8 engine, as it was known
went very well in a straight line, you could spin the wheels in second gear. However, cornering was not its
forte, as the police officer quickly found out after taking a series of S bends.

As we were heading down Northbourne Avenue into Canberra I wondered why we were not slowing
down at any of the intersections and that we were travelling rather fast. On looking out the front I could
see why, no traffic, we were under escort of two motorcycles and two police cars and every intersection
was blocked off to the Canberra hospital. I then glanced at the speedo, fifty to sixty miles per hour (ninety
to one hundred kilometres). The two remaining patients did make a full recover from their injuries. The
deceased in the back of the ambulance was not to be taken out of the ambulance. The problem here was
that the Coroner in Canberra would not deal with the case as the accident happened in NSW and where
did the patient die. So if the patient was certified and left in Canberra, NSW Police and Coroner had no
jurisdiction, so the patient was in limbo.

The only way around this was to have a Doctor in Canberra certify life extinct in the back of the
ambulance and then take the dead patient back to Goulburn to be certified dead again and a post-
mortem performed. Talk about dead being dead. That was an experience to say the least.

These days there can be up to four ambulances, eight to ten Paramedics to attend to one injured patient,
well in Sydney anyway. Out at Hay, two officers initially, with backup an hour or more away.

Treatment of patients slowly improved through the seventies and into the
eighties. In 1986 NSW Ambulance took a quantum leap forward by
introducing Advanced Life Support (ALS) Paramedic training for country
Officers. Sydney had had Intensive Care Paramedics for many years, they
could not practice west of the “granite curtain” only in (NSW) Newcastle,
Sydney and Wollongong. In October 1986 I graduated from ALS Course 4
with many extra skills. These skills included cannulation and a range of life
saving drugs and skills including defibrillation. These new skills certainly
caused considerable consternation with the then nursing staff at the Hay
hospital and particularly one Matron of the time. You see the skills given to
those “ambulance drivers” as they were referred to, were only within the
“realm” of a Doctor.
Only a Doctor could put a cannula in and give intravenous drugs like Morphine, Adrenaline and Lasix.
Fortunately, times have changed and nurses can initiate certain treatment on their own. Though
sometimes you still get the question “you’ve given how much morphine?”, you have narced the patient”.
(overdosed the patient on morphine) Question to nurse, “is the patient talking to you?, yes, well they are
not narced”.

I was fortunate that the three Doctors in Hay at the time were fully supportive of what I was doing. Two of
the Doctors supported my application with very good references and letters to Ambulance. There have
been a number of reason put forward as to the introduction of ALS training of country officers. One of
these related to me at the training school was that as a result of a man shot in the abdomen north of
Booligal. Having to get a Doctor in a police car to meet the Ambulance at Booligal “just’ to put a cannula
in the patient, the Doctor put the cannula in and jumped back in the Police car back to Hay hospital to
deliver a baby. You see, all Ambulances of the time carried ALL the equipment to put up a drip, but the
only person who could put a cannula in was a “Doctor”. Officers were trained to set up the fluid and give
them. Contrary to popular belief at the time “I” did not put the cannula in. Did the patient survive, yes,
thanks to the MAST Suit (military anti shock trousers) and the fluids given by me on the way to hospital. I
ended up in Melbourne in a Victorian Air Ambulance as I was the only person who could manage a
patient in a MAST Suit.

Today’s Paramedic treatment is extremely high and varied. They treat patients with a number of life
saving drugs and pain relieving medications, treat heart attack patients with a clot busting drug in their
home, as many Hay residents can attest. Paramedics have 33 drugs they can administer to patients
under a set of protocols without reference to a Doctor. There are many skills and treatments used to treat
patients with all sorts of medical and trauma conditions outside of the hospital.

The name changes. In 1969 all ambulance areas were known as “Districts”, usually by the town that they
served. I started in the Goulburn District Ambulance Service, moved to Wagga Wagga District Ambulance
Service and then to Hay District Ambulance Service. Without leaving Hay the name changes started,
Riverina District, Murrumbidgee District, Riverina Region, Murray Region. Then came the changes in
Health, The Health Commission of NSW, NSW Health under regional managers. It continued, South
West Region, Murrumbidgee Region, Southern Region and so many I have forgotten them. Then the
changes to Ambulance: Ambulance Service of NSW, NSW Ambulance Service, Ambulance Service and
Ambulance and probably some I have missed. There is a song by Luck Star, “I’ve been everywhere”
which names lots of towns, I think he could do one on the changes to Ambulance names.
I have been renamed, restructured, reorganised, re-engineered, reshuffled, redesigned, realigned,
reconstituted that many times I often forget who I am working for - maybe its my age. At a recent
conference in Wagga, there was a change in name mooted, “District”, Welcome back to the future.

In the fifty years of service there have been many trials and tribulations, many good times as well as
some not so good times in both work and personal life, as we all do. Being called out at all hours of the
day and night, sleep deprived twenty-two hours awake and doing cases, missing family events or
Christmas meals to save someone who is choking on their Christmas lunch or attending a fatal car
accident, then deliver a baby. Do I regret it, not for a moment, though the family may not agree. All
Ambulance Paramedics that have been in and are still in Hay have contributed to the town in so many
ways. We are a team when we save a life or when we loose a life, it affects us deeply in many, often
unseen ways. Often referred to as a duck swimming against the current, on the top of the water it's calm,
but underneath is a different matter. It is always, organised panic.

To have to tell someone that their loved one is dead after Ambulance Paramedics have done thirty
minutes or more of CPR, is very hard, or that there is nothing more that can be done for their loved one.
You have to be honest, you can not give false hope. To offer support to the family caring for a dying loved
one in the hope that it makes it a little easier. There is not much you can do for the deceased, apart from
treating them with dignity and respect.
However, there is a lot that can be done for the relatives to support them on their journey through their
grief. It may not be classed as part of a Paramedics role, however I see it as an extension of care of the
family as a whole and it has a benefit in many ways.

To tell a mother that its boy or girl that’s been delivered in an ambulance on Christmas Day or in the
middle of a mob of cattle is one of the best experiences you can ever have. Delivering a baby makes up
for some of the not so good times. To administer a powerful pain relieving drugs to a patient and see the
relief on their face as you put their leg, foot or ankle back in its proper position is most rewarding and
satisfying. I have been sworn at, threatened, assaulted (only once and that’s enough) have been kissed
and hugged by guys (usually drunk) saying thank you for what you have done for them. But the majority
of the time I have been just thanked for what I have done for someone and that’s all that is expected.

Today 2020, Hay has two Intensive Care Paramedics and three Advanced Life Support Paramedic
Officers with some 175 years of experience.

People often ask how do you I do what I do, ‘you must see some awful things’. Yes, you do see and
experience some horrific things. I have found that it is very useful to discuss cases with your work
colleagues or partner. There are some cases that you carry with you for various reasons, they fade but
do not leave you. You see the good and the not so good sides of people. Paramedics are one of a very
privileged group of people who can walk into a patients’ bedroom in the middle of the night often
uninvited and see patients at their best and worst.

I view things in a way that works for me, ‘did I do the best I could for my patient, if so, no matter the
outcome, I did my best. Tip for younger Paramedics, take the time to sit down and listen with both ears
and talk to the patient, not at them. Particularly the elderly, do not tell them what to do, make it their idea
to go to the hospital.
Unfortunately, we can not save everyone and that is often very hard. My view, when it's your time to go its
out of my hands. I have saved many, but have also lost many, that’s life as a Paramedic.

Support of family and friends

Without the support of my wife Cheryl, family and the many Ambulance Paramedics this job would be
very difficult. Thank you. In the early days Cheryl answered the Ambulance phone, took the information
regarding the job no matter what it was and called me on the UHF radio if I was any from the station. If I
was out of town Cheryl arranged an Honorary to do the job, with the help of the girls on the manual
exchange. Cheryl did this for many years.

I would like to recognise the great support and friendship of all the ambulance paramedic officers who
have transversed through Hay over the years, it is much appreciated. We may not always be in regular
contact but many of you are thought of regularly, for many different reasons. Some of you may have
thought I was hard and difficult to get on with, there were reasons for that and I hope and I know most of
you are better Officers for having had your experiences in Hay.

It is my intention to retire from full time work after fifty years and five months in the NSW Ambulance
Service around the end of September mid October this year, no firm date yet and become a casual
officer. Some more me time, our time to do some more travelling and not to be woken in the middle of the
night for a “nonsense” job or being awake for over twenty hours and going to bed as the sun rises to try
and get some sleep.

FIFTY YEARS CONTINUED:

NOTABLE HAY CASES:

We get our man, well woman: its called Psychology - a little lacking in todays Paramedics.

Mrs. Mac who was in her late 80s and drove a lime green Datson 120Y, once parking it on the bowling
green at the Services Club. Mrs Macs’ family had been trying for ages to get her into care, without
success. The son had approached me a number of times as to how it could be done. They had tried
various things and people in order to get her to hospital. I advised the son that when they had had no
luck, then give the ambulance a call. The day came, Doctor Bonwick rang to authorise the transport, his
final words, she won't go. I advised Doctor Bonwick, just leave that to us. As Colin Honeyman and I
arrived, in full uniform, including hats as well, the local priest was walking out of the house shaking his
head. He said Doctor Bonwick has tried, I have tried, the family has tried and she won't budge.

Two of Mrs Macs sons were also on the footpath and said she won't budge. As we got the stretcher out of
the ambulance I told the sons and any others to disappear, hide behind trees, that I did not want to see
any of them when I came out with Mrs. Mac. They looked at us in a funny way and shook their heads. We
proceeded into the house where we found Mrs Mac and Elizabeth, her daughter-in-law, in a bedroom.
Elizabeth was also shaking her head, mouthing “She won't go”. My advise to her was to stay in the
background and not say anything.

Hello Mrs Mac, this is Colin and I'm Robert. "What are doing here", Doctor Bonwick sent us. "Silly old
fool, he was just here a while ago", no problem with short term memory. Yes I know, but he wants to see
you and he asked us to take you to see him. You know how busy he is, like a fly in a bottle. Now we will
just pop you on our bed and take you to see Doctor Bonwick. So with all due care we carefully lifted Mrs
Mac on our stretcher and made her comfortable. Elizabeth smiled and shook her head. We then wheeled
Mrs Mac out to the ambulance and placed her inside. As I was about to get into the ambulance, the sons
came out from behind the trees. How did you do that, we had been trying to do that for months. My
comment, we have our ways and means. They just shook their heads, thank you. On the way to the
hospital Colin was in the back looking after Mrs Mac, they discussed the farm and the weather. Just as
we turning into the hospital driveway Colin made the mistake and asked Mrs. Mac how old she was. Well,
did she give Colin a serve, and I thought she was going to exit via the back door. Colin quickly returned to
the farm and all settled down. On arrival at the hospital we took her to the ward to see Doctor Bonwick.
Then we had trouble getting Mrs Mac off our stretcher, she was very comfortable. We will just pop you
onto this bed as Doctor Bonwick needed us to go to see another patient. So we carefully placed Mrs Mac
onto the hospital bed and left.

The moral of this case, the family was trying to get Mrs Mac to the "hospital", not once did we mention
the “hospital” word. We are taking you to see Doctor Bonwick, it worked like a charm. I think Mrs Mac
knew where she was going but had no reason to say she would not go. She had that much faith in Doctor
Bonwick that she would not refuse to go and see him. One of the sons often reminds me of the case.
Funny that, I have used the same rouse on him more than once. See the doctor now and you may not
need to go into hospital - still works today when you approach the elderly patient carefully and explain
and let them make the decision.

It had been one of those weekends. At 7 am there was a call to a man shot somewhere north Booligal.
You will meet a man at the Booligal hotel. On arrival at the hotel the man was asked where the man was
that had been shot, his reply up the road. In actual fact he did not know where the man was. After
travelling about 30 km the man indicated we should pull off the road here. Ask again where the shot man
was he indicated about one to two km in that direction. There was no vehicle access to where the patient
was. Fortunately there was a local farmer on scene who indicated that the man was on an island.
There was one problem, there is about 400 meters of knee deep swamp to negotiate and the location of
the patient was not know. We walked towards many a kangaroo that morning, a standing kangaroo looks
like a man until it hops away. The patient was still alive despite being shot with a solid shot from a 12
gauge shotgun at close range. The shot had not exited but was noted just below the skin of the dorsal
muscle in his back. A Police officer had arrived with the MAST Suit and it was applied and the patients
observations improved. There were very few places to rest the patient in the swamp on the carry out. As
stated elsewhere a Doctor had been summoned from Hay.
The patient was flow from Hay to Melbourne and I was fortunate to have accompanied him to theatre to
see the extent of his injuries. At one stage the repairs were suspended so that his blood loss could be
replaced before the last leg of the MAST suit could be removed. It took him four months to recover.
 CHAPTER TWELVE

AWARDS FOR SERVICE:

In January 1995 I was awarded an Australia Day award the PSM, (Public Service Medal) for Service to
the Hay Community and the NSW Ambulance Service. The medal was presented by the Governor
General of the time at Government House Sydney.

50 YEARS SERVICE
PUBLIC SERVICE MEDAL BADGE

AMBULANCE
SERVICE LONG NATIONAL ROTARY PARAMEDIC
SERVICE & GOOD MEDAL PAUL HARRIS STATION OFFICER RANK
CONDUCT MEDAL FELLOW
 CHAPTER 13

REPORTS FROM VARIOUS CASES OVER THE YEARS:

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH N.S.W.

SOUTHWEST REGION AMBULANCE
HAY BRANCH

REPORT OF TRANSPORT OF SHOOTING VICTIM FROM BOOLIGAL 03/11/1984 25002

Officers of the Hay Ambulance were called by the Hay Police at 0854 hrs on the 3rd of November 1984 to
attend a shooting north of Booligal, being advised that a person will meet the Ambulance at Booligal, and
direct it to the scene. On arrival at Booligal a man was taken on board and further directions obtained on
the location and the injuries to the patient. Communications were established en route by SSB radio with
Dubbo Control and they were advised of the nature of the case. Normal radio was lost with Wagga 65
kms from Hay and all messages were passed to Wagga via SSB radio through Dubbo.
It was established by Ambulance Officers that the relative did not know exactly where the patient was??.
However, the relative was able to tell Officers that the man had been shot in the stomach with a 12 gauge
shot-gun which was loaded with a solid shot. The man shot was still alive when the relative left the scene
to summon help. After proceeding some 13 kms up the Booligal - Ivanhoe road, which is 'dirt', the relative
indicated where they had pulled up on the side of the road to go shooting. Having just crossed three
bridges which were full of water, it was apparent that water in the area was going to cause concern. On
inspecting the area where the shooters had left the road it was found that the table drain was full of water
and could not be negotiated by a four wheel drive vehicle. The relative indicated that they had walked
through this water for some distance and that the patient was beyond the fence line some one kilometre
off the road to the left. It was necessary for the Ambulance to proceed about two kms up the road to
avoid the water in the table drain, in order to get as close to the patient as possible. then necessary to
throughly observe the paddock for signs of where water was lying to avoid getting the Ambulance
bogged. After travelling about three kms avoiding the water we were confronted with a fence, at this point
no gate could be seen. The relative advised that beyond the fence was some 400 metres of swamp with
water above knee level. The time of arrival at the fence was about 0955 hrs, and shortly after our arrival
the property owner arrived - this had been arranged with the owner of the Booligal Hotel on our way
through Booligal. After discussions between the property owner and the relative it was agreed that the
man shot was some three kms from the fence and that he was on dry ground, our side of a creek which
runs through the property about four kms from our location. The water was caused by the Lachlan River
being in flood and the creeks and low areas being filled with water. It appeared that the patient was
surrounded by water, and there was no way around it.

During the time there was discussion of the equipment to be taken: First Aid Kit, Entonox Unit, two full leg
and two full arm Air splints, Haemaccel Kit, and a Light weight stretcher.
Hay Police were conveying the Mast Suit to the scene but had not arrived when we were about to leave
the Ambulance for the patients location. The final directions were confirmed as to where the patient
should be, and what could be expected of the property from the owner, who was going to
await the arrival of the Police and then point them in the direction we had gone. Dubbo Ambulance
Control was advised of our intended location, present situation, and that we were leaving the Ambulance.

After getting through the fence Officers Marmont, Duchatel and the relative were confronted with the
swamp and water. The swamp and water extended for some 400 metres, the water in the area was in
most places above knee level. After considerable difficulty the patient was located the relative not
knowing exactly where the patient was in the large paddock. The Entonox Unit proved useful as a bell to
attract the attention of the person who was with the patient. Kangaroos looked much like a man at 100 -
150 metres, in grass up to two-thirds of a metre high.
On our arrival at 1025 hrs the patient was found to be still alive, but was in a very serious condition sitting
up, bent over holding his abdominal area. The patient was very pale, but conscious and able to talk - his
english was not good.. I examined the wound area in the umbilical region and found a hole the size of a
12 gauge shotgun, which when uncovered issued a large quantity of blood. The wound was covered with
a pad and pressure applied. The patient was laid back against the stretcher whilst his clothes were
removed 45 degree elevation. The patient was heavily clothed in a sports coat, heavy woollen jumper,
flannel shirt and singlet, all of which the shot had passed through. The patients upper clothes were
removed, and at this stage there was no radial or brachial pulses and no BP- there was a weak carotid
pulse of 100. The patients trousers were removed and the full leg air splints were applied and inflated to
full mouth pressure at 1029 hrs, and the legs slightly elevated.

The patient was further reclined to about 5 to 10 degrees elevation, and the wound further examined, it
was found that a small protrusion of bowel was just in the hole. There was no rush of blood from the
wound at this stage. A large bolge was noted on the right side in the lumbar muscle
region, this was causing the patient considerable pain. It was believed that this was where the shot had
lodged, as there was no exit wound. A wet saline dressing was applied with a No 4 shell dressing placed
over the wound, and the patients previous medical history being obtained during this time. At 1035 hrs a
brachial pulse was weakly palpable, and it was noticed that a police officer with the Mast Suit was closing
quickly.

The air splints were removed and the Mast Suit placed under the patient and inflated at 1045 hrs a pulse
of 100 and a BP of 100/70 was recorded at 1046 hrs with resps 46. The patients colour improved from
white, and veins appeared in the arms and neck. The abdominal section could not be inflated to the
suggested pressure because the pressure increased the abdominal pain being experienced by the
patient - the section was half pumped up. The patient was then loaded onto the stretcher with the foot
end elevated slightly until we were ready to carry the patient. The equipment was packed up and placed
on the stretcher and made ready to carry.

The second police officer had, immediately on his arrival been sent back to the police vehicle to convey
my request that Doctor Matthews attend the patient as a matter of urgency, and to meet the Ambulance
as soon as possible. It was my opinion that the patient needed IVT as soon as possible due to his
condition and the anticipated deterioration of the patient during the three kms walk back to the
Ambulance, and subsequent road trip back to Hay.

The carry out of the patient commenced at about 1055 hrs with frequent rest periods. The stretcher was
carried by four persons, and the 5th carrying the guns and some of our equipment. The persons who
carried Ambulance Officers R. Marmont, J. Duchatel, Constable Krause, and two relatives of the patient.
The patient was carried back through the 400 metres of water with only one stop somewhere in the
middle when we were able to put the patient down on some lignum without getting him wet. This section
of the carry was extremely difficult, particularly wading through water above knee level, and it took a
heavy toll on those people carrying the stretcher.
1045 P 95
1045 BP 70/60

The patient was loaded into the Ambulance at 1139 hrs and placed on the stretcher in the trendelenberg
position - oxygen therapy commenced.
The patients observations which were taken during the carry out were: -
1100 BP 100/70 P 100
1128 BP 80/40 P 95
1139 BP 80/40 P 112 Resps 40
Dubbo Control was advised of our patients condition and our requirements\ and advised us that Doctor
Matthews was proceeding to meet the Ambulance in a police car, having left Hay about 1130 hrs. Doctor
Matthews met the Ambulance at Booligal at 1155 hrs, the patients vital signs at that time were BP 70/60
P 112 Resps 40. Doctor Matthews immediately put two cannulas in and two units of haemaccel were run
in stat. A request had been made by myself to Dubbo to alert Victorian Air Ambulance, this was confirmed
by Doctor Matthews that the patient was to be flown to Melbourne. The infusion of the haemaccel
increased the abdominal pain that the patient was experiencing and the abdominal section of the Suit
was deflated slowly periodically to reduce the pain. The patient had four units of haemaccel infused
during transport.

The patient arrived at the Hay Hospital at 1255 hrs with a BP 120/80 P 96 and in a stable condition. The
first of four units of fresh whole 0 neg blood was commenced at about 1315hrs. At Doctor. Matthews
request the abdominal section of the Mast Suit was slowly deflated so that she could examine the wound
and catheterise the patient. The Doctor was advised that this could be done provided the patients BP
remained stable during the removal of the section. The abdominal section was fully deflated at 1330 hrs
with the BP remaining stable. The wound was again dressed, patient catheterised and the abdominal
section re-applied and inflated to a pressure that the patient could stand. After the suit was re-inflated the
BP 150/80 P 86. The infusion of blood had continued whilst the abdominal section was being deflated
and while it was off the patient. Catheterisation produced frank blood indicating kidney damage.
The patient was taken to Victorian Air Ambulance at 1530 hrs for transfer to Melbourne. Station Officer
Marmont was to accompany the patient in the aircraft as the Air Ambulance Sister was not trained in the
Mast Suit. Station Officer Marmont was contacted by Officer David O'Toole
and advised of the complications that may occur when flying with a Mast Suit in situ.

It is my opinion that all of those who took part in the retrieval of this patient did so in a highly
commendable manner.

Robert J. Marmont
Station Officer
Hay Ambulance.
25th November 1984
 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH N.S.W.
SOUTHWEST REGION AMBULANCE
HAY BRANCH

REPORT ON THE TRANSFER OF A PATIENT IN A MAST SUIT FROM THE HAY HOSPITAL
TO A MELBOURNE HOSPITAL BY VICTORIAN AIR AMBULANCE, AFTER SUSTAINING
A GUN SHOT WOUND TO THE UMBILICAL REGION.

The patient Mr. John CHRISTOFORIDIS, 48 years of age had sustained a gun shot wound to the
umbilical region from a 12 gauge shotgun whilst shooting pigs some 90 kms north of Hay. (see previous
report)

The patient was to be flown to Melbourne by Victorian Air Ambulancein the Mast Suit with two IV lines in
situ. One line '0' neg blood, the other for other IV fluids. The injuries to the abdominal organs were not
known, but Doctor Matthews suspected that damage had been caused to the bowel and kidney.

Discussions took place between Officers D. O'Toole and Officer R. Marmont as to the possible problems
that may be encountered when a patient is being flown in an unpressurized aircraft in a Mast Suit.
Increase of pressure in the suit during ascent and the reduction of pressure during decent.'

The patient arrived at the Hay airport at 1530 hrs and was prepared for transfer to the Air Ambulance.
The patient was given 100mg of Pethidine IV at 1540 hrs, prior to being transferred from the Ambulance
to the Aircraft. The flight altitude and pressure problems with Mast Suit were discussed with the pilot, who
advised that the best flight level was 7500 ft, he could fly at 3500 ft but this was very rough.

The following is an account of my observations and adjustments to the Mast Suit during the transfer from
pre-take off until landing in Melbourne, and subsequent removal of the suit.
Pre-take of observations: 1542 hrs BP 140/- P 104 Consc. Lev 3. The aircraft left the ground at 1546 hrs
and was to climb to 7500 ft, I had been advised by Officer O'Toole that as altitude increased the pressure
in the suit would increase, which would activate the relief valves. Due to the noise inside the aircraft it
was impossible to hear either the velcro crackle or the valves blow off. As the altitude increased I noticed
that the suit became harder in all three sections. I knew the feel of the pressure of the suit at ground
level, so deflated the suit, as needed, to the pressure that I considered to be that of ground level. All
adjustments to the suit were small adjustments either
up or down. When inflating the suit the pump was depressed by hand once, then pressure by feel
gauged, then if necessary inflate once again. A constant check was maintained on BP and pulse during
the ascent to 7500 ft and the decent. (see separate page)

Even though the pressure was being released form the suit the patients BP remained reasonably stable
until reaching 7500 ft. The BP started to drop slowly even though the suit still felt much harder than it
should have been. The drop in the BP could have been the result of the IV Pethidine given before take
off. At 1624 hrs the BP was 120/- which was considered to be slightly low, the drip rate of the Hartmanns
was increased, and the abdominal section was slowly inflated until the
patient complained of pain, then it was backed off slightly. This had the desired effect of increasing the
BP, which at 1627 hrs was BP 130/- P 104.

Due to the releasing of the pressure in the leg sections it was noted that they were unequal in feel of
pressure, this was noted at 1610 hrs. At this stage both leg sections were opened to equalize the
pressure in each leg. The manoeuvre was done a further three times later, when it was noticed that the
leg sections were unequal. The equalization was done after it was noticed that the left foot was warm and
the right foot was cold. It was thought that the unequal pressure in the leg sections
may have been the cause.
There was a good pulse in the left foot but a weak one in the right foot.
This problem continued until the suit was released. It was not possible to gauge the amount of air being
released from the suit due to the noise etc in the aircraft. Once things were stabilised at 7500 ft things
remained reasonably stable as far as vital signs were concerned.

The pilot advised at 1651 hrs that we were about to leave 7500 ft on our decent, he had requested a long
slow decent but this was not possible due to other air traffic. As the decent occurred it was found that all
sections of the suit suddenly became very soft to the feel. Also at this stage the Air Ambulance Sister
advised that during decent the IV’s would pack it in, and would not drip or run. The suit was inflated a
number of times on the way down. Each time the suit felt softer than it
should have been it was inflated to what felt like the normal pressure at ground level. As previously stated
all adjustments were done slowly and as needed.

The BP remained reasonably stable throughout most of the decent, though at about 1000 ft a sudden
drop in BP was noted, from BP 140/- to 120/- in two minutes. Both leg sections were inflated to a firm
pressure to elevate the BP. The patients vital signs on landing were BP 130/- P 92. It was then left until
the aircraft had stopped to check the pressure in the legs, each leg was then inflated until the velcro
crackled, then each leg was equalized. At 1709 hrs BP 140/- P100 and the IV's had begun to drip again.
When the suit was being inflated the normal protocol was followed Left Leg, Right Leg, Abdominal.

The patient was transferred from the Aircraft to a MICA ambulance for the trip to St. Vincents Hospital.
There was another drop in BP en route which was corrected by increasing the drip rate. The patient
arrived at St. Vincents Hospital at 1735 with a BP 150/80 P 100 and went direct to casualty, being placed
on the casualty trolley at 1740 hrs. The attending Doctor obtained the patients history of the incident from
me, before requesting the Sister to increase the drip rate, and that I begin deflation of the abdominal
section of the suit. The abdominal section was fully down at 1754 hrs, BP 170/- P 98. The deflation of the
right leg began at 1805 hrs BP 150/- P 92.
The right leg was fully down at 1809 hrs 1810hrs BP 155/- P 98 Resps 36.

The left leg deflation began at 1825 hrs BP 145/- P 91. At 1830 hrs the patients BP 130/- P 88, - the
attending Doctor requested that SPPS be commenced as he considered the BP too low. At 1840 hrs the
Doctor requested that I re-inflate the right leg fully but continue to deflate the left leg to allow full
circulation to the left leg. The Doctor was concerned at the time the leg had been in the suit - some 8
hours. At 1843 hrs BP 150/- P 86. The left leg was fully down at 1900 hrs with BP 150/90 P 90 Resps 40.
The right leg was to remain fully inflated until the patient was taken to theatre.

The patient was taken to X-Ray at 1926 hrs after being examined by the Surgeon, Mr. Collopy, who also
took the patients full history from me. He was most amazed as to the retrieval of the patient, and his
current good condition. The patient had general X-Rays taken to locate the shot and to give some
indication of the extent of the injuries. An IVP X-Ray was also taken to indicate the extent of the injury to
the right kidney and renal tubes. The X-Rays indicated a solid shot about 3 cms in size which was 3 cms
to the right of L4 and slightly superior of the centre of L4. There were 3 small fragments 6 cms to the right
of L4 about 3mms in size. There were 7 very small fragments scattered up to 10 cms around the shot.
The piece of shot was posterior of L4 looking from the lateral aspect. The IVP indicated that the lower
pole of the right kidney had been destroyed, and had been damaged to the pelvis area of the kidney.

The patient was returned to casualty at 1952 hrs BP 150/80 and was taken to theatre at 1957 hrs.
Theatre Staff continued to monitor the patients vital signs as from 2000 hrs. The right leg was deflated by
me in theatre at 2040 hrs. The surgeon requested that the suit be left on the
patient in case problems arose during the operation - the suit could be re-inflated if need be.
The patient had the following surgery performed: -

Removal of the Lower Lobe of Liver

Total removal of the Right Kidney
Repair of the damage to IVC
Repair of Omentum
Examine of Ascending and transverse Colon, Stomach, Duodenum, and Intestine.
Repair of the anterior stomach wall around the wound.
Removal of the shot from the lumbo-dorsal. muscle about 3 cms
beneath the skin, between the skin and muscle on the area of L4-5

During the operation as the surgeon was starting to remove the right kidney, and as he rolled it over to
take it out, the IVC which was damaged, suddenly let go and bled freely. It took the operating team some
considerable time to repair the IVC to control the bleeding.
The surgeon suspected that the tamponade effect produced by the suit temporarily sealed the damaged
area of the IVC. The lower third of the right kidney was completely destroyed, with severe damage
extending to half the kidney and to the pelvis of the kidney, with a laceration to the upper third. There was
also damage to the right uretur. The patient was complete in theatre at 2250 hrs.

Doctor Collopy advised that the patient would be satisfactory surgically, but infection will be a problem in
about 5 days. The Doctor also said that the patient owed his life to; Ambulance Officers, Doctor
Matthews, local blood donors, and the Mast Suit. The patients condition the next
morning was serious but satisfactory. On the 16th November the patients condition was listed as, vey
good, up walking around and was progressing very well. The patient had a temperature on the morning
of the 16th which was being treated with IV antibiotics.

It is my considered opinion that had Doctor Matthews not been able to come to meet the Ambulance at
Booligal, 77 kms from Hay to put a cannula in the patient would not have survived the trip to Hay.

In other words despite the Mast Suit the patient would have been DOA at the Hospital.
On this particular day Doctor Matthews was the only Doctor in town with a lady in labour and an
Ambulance Officer requesting her to come and put a cannula in. ???

Robert J. Marmont
Station Officer
Hay Ambulance
29th November 1984
see attached….
 FIRST

MAJOR
INCIDENT AFTER DOING LEVEL IV IN 1986
THANK YOU LETTER FOM HUSBAND FROM INCIDENT BELOW
The item below was in part published in the Riverine Grazier newspaper and the Busselton Mail in
October 2023

NEWS ITEM

COMPLETION OF THE 40th ANNIVERSARY BUSSELTON BUS ACCIDENT MEMORIAL

On Saturday morning the 30th September

2023 a small group of people spent a couple
of hours completing the Busselton Bus
Accident Memorial near Hay by erecting a
‘thank you’ plaque to the people of Hay. This
was a very low key event.
Not knowing the emotional impact this would
have on the MacKenzie family being present.
It turned out to be very emotional and
rewarding day for all).

The instigator of the 40th Anniversary Memorial project is an ex-student of Busselton High School Tom
Tate Snr. Tom and his two sons returned to Hay to complete the project. The original project in the
dedicating of three crosses in memory of the three that were killed in the accident, two students and the
bus driver, was hampered by COVID.

Attending on Saturday morning was Mrs. Marie Butler ( MacKenzie ) wife of the bus driver John
MacKenzie. Mrs. Butler ceremonially turned the first sod for the new plaque. She was assisted by her
daughter Mrs. Jennifer Shann, ( MacKenzie ).

The hole was completed by Tom Tate Jnr and Connor Tate to a suitable depth under the supervision of
Tom Tate Snr. The plaque then being concreted into place. The Tate family drove from Muswellbrook
bring the Plaque with them. The plaque was made by Muswellbrook Signs. The inscription on the plaque
was a collaboration between Tom Tate Snr and Jennifer Shann (MacKenzie). The yellow colour, (the
colour of friendship) of the plinth represents the friendship between the towns of Hay and Busselton.
Tanyia Flynn, also an ex-student of Busselton High School came up with the colour concept.

Robert and Cheryl Marmont were also in attendance. Robert was one of the first Ambulance Officers to
attend the scene that Mothers’ Day morning. The day bringing back many memories. There were many
questions asked of Robert. Both the MacKenzie and Tate families were given a copy of one of Roberts’
comprehensive reports of the accident written at the time. The families were most grateful for the
information provided, it answered many more questions.

Though not readily know, Cheryl Marmont put many a student from the accident through the shower at
the then Ambulance Residence in Church Street and in the showers in the Old Hay Gaol before the
student were relocated to the Hay Students’ Hostel. Many of the students were bear footed and covered
in mud. The showers in the Gaol may well have been cold but at least removed the mud.

Mrs. Butler ( MacKenzie ) and Jennifer flew from Perth to Adelaide and then drove from Adelaide to Hay
to take part in the dedication of the Plaque. Ironically the same trip that the students undertook back in
1980.
 From Left to Right:
ROBERT MARMONT (First Ambo on
Scene)
JENNIFER SHANN (MacKenzie)
MRS MARIE BUTLER (MacKenzie)
ONE OF MANY EXERCISES