The Northern Rivers Times
4
February 22, 2024!!!
NEWS
Passion for emergency services leads to full-time role By Samantha Elley When Paul Cowles (pictured) started his long career in emergency services, it was thanks to a note from his mum. “I started volunteering at the age of 13 with SES in Ballina, just through something I wanted to do,” said Paul. “They never had a cadetship back in the day, I had to get a note from mum to go and join.” Once he turned 18, Paul was then accredited to do road crash rescues and it Paul Cowles VRA Regional Operations Manager has been an event-filled career to his most recent “At one point the they need comes role as full-time Volunteer Casino squad had four through me and Rescue Association I channel that up fatal crashes with six (VRA) Rescue NSW deaths over a period of and I fight for Regional Operations four and a half weeks. them to get what Manager. “I was in the deputy they need.” “I’ve been to more role and still a member of In his second fatals and serious car Paul Cowles with QLD Ambulance service the Casino squad, having week, Paul has accidents than I care to been six years here. found the work and despatcher of the count,” he said. “I’ve been to every job intense, but rewarding. ambulances, Paul moved “The Old Pacific bar two.” “We’ve got the state into a professional Highway through Paul admits to not rescue audit which is a development role Tintenbar and Knockrow pretty big thing,” he said. sleeping well for the was notorious, as was the mentoring training and first 24 hours after a bad “Every emergency guiding the MDs and the section between Ballina event. service head delegate will paramedics. and Wardell with the old “After that I am ok,” he scrutinise our equipment “I was involved in Alstonville cutting being said. and our training records the setting up of the another area.” “We debrief at the job Commonwealth Games, a and equipment logs, He does also reminisce with other services and safety data sheets and café explosion and other on the lighter moments then a debrief with your vehicles.” major events such as of working in emergency crew when we get back There is a good reason floods,” he said. services. and stay in touch with for that. The Casino VRA “I tried to push “Driver Reviver in everybody.” Rescue is one of the (emergency services) Ballina was fun and He said there is a system busiest squads for a rural away a bit, but I kept the public displays and for formal counselling to area. coming back to it and I even in the SES, back support volunteers and “We are covering am full-time now. when they didn’t get workers with the help a significant area as “My passion would be government funding, of a peer support officer Tabulam SES is offline, emergency management, we’d spend hours on who also works with their so we cover to Drake at so it’s not going to the the main street with the families. front line, it’s more about the moment, which can coin chains,” he said, “That’s part of my new be an hour and a half making sure my squads describing where long role as well as helping response time, depending lines of tape were laid out or units have got the manage those work/ on where we are going,” for people to stick coins equipment they need, health safety incidents Paul said. to. the training they need, “The other day we were and major jobs,” he said. “It was all fun until we recruiting and we are “If it looks like it’s at the outside of Kyogle had to get the coins of the retaining members after going to be a prolonged for a job, we’ve been tape.” recruitment. extrication or a potential to Woodburn to back After 14 years in “The training is fatal job that they’re at, up Police Rescue at a Brisbane, working in continually and it’s then I’ll respond as well head-on there. compliance and with challenging. In this role, “Unfortunately the male to back them up.” the QLD ambulance they don’t work for me, died not long after we got Paul said the thoughts service in the operations as they are volunteers, as centre as a call taker him out. which go through his I work for them. What
mind, when he thinks back on his experience, are the untold deaths on the roads that could be avoided. “A lot of people die in car accidents because bystanders are there running around when all someone needs to do is just hold (the victim’s) head up and keep them breathing,” he said. “There’s a funny one where a pie van rolled over and we thought the bloke was dead as the windscreen was smeared but the van had no markings on it. “It was pastry and pie, it wasn’t him at all, he was perfectly ok, it was just his van covered in sh*t.” Part of Paul’s new job is to have an understanding of what the core roles are of all emergency services and what their agency’s responsible for and how VRA can fit into that mix.
“We can support any service,” he said. “VRA Rescue NSW is the only emergency service that does not have a core role in the state emergency and rescue management act. “We are not the combat agency for flood and storm, that’s SES. “We are not the combat agency for urban fire and HAZMAT, that’s Fire and Rescue. “We are not the combat agency for rural fire, that’s RFS. “But what we are, is the first 100% dedicated volunteer rescue agency NSW and we were born out of the NSW Police Rescue.” Paul said some VRA branches have been around for 60 years. The area covered by Paul’s role includes as far south as Taree and north to Tweed Heads and out to Drake. “Under my wing we have about 200 volunteers, including non-operational members,” Paul said. “Casino itself needs members, as does the Brunswick-Tweed branch, so if anyone is thinking about joining, visit our website at vrarescue.org.” Paul is excited about the direction of the VRA, hence his move to the full-time position. “The VRA is moving forward with a new commissioner and we are all passionate with new equipment and training and I want to be on that ride,” he said. People interested in doing worthwhile volunteering with the VRA can visit their website at vrarescue.org where there is a link to add your details.
Seniors Festival Local Achievement Awards Nominations close Feb 23
ct conta fice f o y m ion t a n i m for no ms for
Janelle Saffin MP MEMBER FOR LISMORE
02 6621 3624 lismore@parliament.nsw.gov.au Authorised by Janelle Saffin MP. Funded using Parliamentary entitlements
