New “Ambos” in Rainbow ….. at last
Paramedics Airlie Paynter and Marc Shearman encourage everyone to learn CPR
by Barb Rees
I recently organised a coffee and chat with one of the newest and most eagerly awaited members of our community. When I arrived at Arcos, I was pleasantly surprised to see I was getting two for the price of one.
Not only did I meet our new paramedic, Marc Shearman, but due to lucky timing I also met his replacement on days off, Airlie Paynter.
Marc Shearman will go down in history as being the very first permanent paramedic based in Rainbow Beach.
Marc and his family, partner Jess and kids Ivy, four, and Lilly, one, moved here from Brisbane in November 2015, and are loving the sea change lifestyle.
Originally based in Brisbane Marc explains, “I worked in St George for three years and then Goondiwindi for two, then back to Brisbane.
“We decided as a family that we wanted to live on the coast, and after visiting Tin Can Bay and Rainbow we fell in love with the area and I decided to apply for the new position in Rainbow Beach…
“I honestly thought the competition would be high for the position so really didn’t think I would be successful.”
Marc also applied to work at Tin Can Bay and was delighted to get the Rainbow Beach job.
“I really am privileged and very honoured to get the position. Jess and I are excited about raising our family in Rainbow and being a part of the community. It is paradise!”
Although he hasn’t met many locals yet Marc is looking forward to doing so.
“The thing that impresses me is the resilience of the people that live here,” adds Airlie. “It’s a great place to work.”
Airlie is based at Noosa Station and travels up every eight days to cover Marc’s well-earned days off, and will continue her relief work until our other permanent paramedic, Bob Gray, arrives in the next couple of months.
Airlie is very enthusiastic about the area and has fallen in love with our town, “I will definitely be coming back when my time here finishes, although I am hoping to be able to continue filling in for holidays – it is beautiful here.”
Marc is currently committed to organising Community CPR Awareness Courses to be held in conjunction with the Local Ambulance Committee.
“We hope to have that up and running in the near future; it will be open to all ages, and hopefully held outside in a very informal atmosphere, where we just show people what to do in an emergency in relation to CPR.
“A lot of people don’t know how to react and it can be overwhelming to be put in an emergent situation. Early CPR intervention is pivotal in saving lives. We just want to give people the confidence to respond quickly and effectively,” enthuses Marc.
Marc is also looking forward to the new Ambulance Station being built “Construction will begin in the next few months and hopefully will be in operation early next year,” explains Marc.
Marc reiterates the fact that even though we don’t have a station as such yet, in an emergency situation to ring 000 and that way people will receive the emergency care needed in the most efficient way possible.
“People need to call 000 so we can respond to their needs immediately.”
As we part ways I am struck by the genuine enthusiasm and caring attitude of these two. Rest assured Rainbow Beach, our health and well-being is in very capable hands.
Events galore for Local Ambulance Committee
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Cooloola Coast Local Ambulance Committee will be held at the Cooloola Coast Ambulance Station, Tin Can Bay, on Thursday August 25, commencing at 3.30pm.
The purpose of the AGM is to present the committee’s annual reports, financial statements and budget proposals.
Local Ambulance Committees act as a voice for their community, providing valuable feedback on ambulance service delivery. The meeting is open to the public.
The Queensland Ambulance Service will celebrate Ambulance Week from September 9 to 16. To commemorate the event, there will be an open day and sausage sizzle at the Tin Can Bay Station, 10am to 1pm on Thursday, September 15.
The public are invited to come along and meet our dedicated local paramedics. The day will be used to promote medical readiness during significant events, to stress the importance of calling 000 in an emergency, and to further promote the CPR Awareness Program.
There may even be an opportunity for attendees to participate in a short CPR course. CPR is a proven life-saving technique in emergency situations, particularly in cardiac arrest cases.
Another date to keep in mind is Saturday, October 1 when we will be holding our annual Flower Show. All proceeds go towards buying equipment for our local Ambulance Service.
So please come along and enjoy a pleasant outing as well as showing support for our ambulance officers.
