QAS staff reflect on Ambulance Australia experience

Last year while Australia’s southern states were dealing with the challenges of COVID-19 lockdowns, Queensland Ambulance Service again hosted camera teams shooting Channel 10’s fourth season of Ambulance Australia.

Andrew Colen – HARU

Andrew Colen - HARU

What was your title/position during filming on the show?

CCP at Kedron station.

Why did you apply/ reapply for the Show?

I purely saw it as an opportunity to do something different and experience a different aspect to our job.

What were your expectations going into filming?

I was very nervous about how the dynamics of having a camera following us around would be and also how the end result would turn out.

How did you find the filming process?

I was pleasantly surprised how easy and normal it was, probably because our cameraman was so nice and easy going. I think it was a real eye opener for the cameraman who came out with us, he said multiple times that he was surprised about some of things we experienced together.

What’s it been like seeing yourself on TV?

I found it quite uncomfortable hearing and seeing myself on TV as I normally prefer to be less visible.

What has been the reaction from colleagues/ family/friends?

There was an understandable amount of ribbing from colleagues, which I expected. But it was good for non‐medical family and friends to see the whole series.

What have you learnt about yourself and/or the QAS from the process?

I enjoyed seeing other paramedics and the EMDs on it, how they interacted, and treated patients.

What do you think/hope the audience has learnt from Series 4?

Hopefully the audience has been given an insight into our unique cases and has seen the human side of our paramedics and EMDs.

Jeff Lockwood – ACP II

Jeff Lockwood – ACP II

What was your title/position during filming on the show?

ACPII.

Why did you apply/ reapply for the Show?

Tamara, my partner at the time really wanted to do it, so she asked me to join her on the show since we were already working together. I wasn’t sure at first but then agreed as all my family lives in Sydney and I thought it might be nice for them to see what I do at work, day in day out. I have a few nephews and nieces who were pretty excited to see their uncle on tv too. So really, I did it for my family.

What were your expectations going into filming?

I had none. I made sure I had none, so I didn’t feel out of place or try and be something I’m not. I just showed up to work like any normal day and went about my business, just with a microphone on and a camera in my face.

How did you find the filming process?

At first it was very strange, I kept trying to keep my big head out of the camera shots when I wasn’t the focus of what was happening. But then soon realised that the camera guy was really good at what he did, and he just worked around us. It was pretty much what I thought it would be, show up, be yourself, and they do the rest in the background to put it all together.

Any challenges/ surprises/funny stories?

No real challenges I guess, but they didn’t show a few funny cases on the show. One was a house that caught fire when the owners weren’t home. When the owners finally got home and saw their charred house, the elderly lady wasn’t even mad, she just went on about how the house was haunted and that they’d named the ghost they lived with. She thought the ghost probably set the house alight, but it was really her husband’s motorised scooter batteries in the basement.

What’s it been like seeing yourself on TV?

Really uncomfortable at first. But I think once you get past thinking you don’t sound right, it’s not so bad. I don’t think I made an idiot of myself, so I guess I’ve got that going for me...

What has been the reaction from colleagues/ family/friends?

All positive. Family loved it. Especially the nieces and nephews, as well as my grandparents. You know what parents and grandparents are like, proud about the littlest things. I thought I’d get a bit more sarcastic flak from colleagues too, but most have only had nice things to say so far.

What have you learnt about yourself and/or the QAS from the process?

I think I learnt I’ll try anything once. I was a bit apprehensive at first about doing it all, but I became quite comfortable with it all quite quickly. Just another day at work, you know. I also learnt that the QAS is so much more loved among the general community than I could have imagined.

What do you think/hope the audience has learnt from Series 4?

That’s a tough question... I mean I hope the series put forth some education to assist the general public to know what is and isn’t an emergency, and that we can’t always get there as soon as possible due to resourcing and caseloads and whatnot, but when we do show up, we will definitely give it our all to help the people needing us.

Melissa Pinel - EMD

Melissa Pinel – EMD

What was your title/position during filming on the show?

Student EMD.

Why did you apply/ reapply for the Show?

A new experience, the chance to help raise awareness of an otherwise faceless role.

What were your expectations going into filming?

I thought it would be a far more scripted and manipulated process. I expected there to be awkwardness and an expectation to make our job more public friendly by hiding or tailoring our reactions to and in this environment.

How did you find the filming process?

It was a lot of fun! You create a really good connection with the film crew and particularly in my case - they got to see me through my entire training from start as a fresh EMD with no experience to being completely signed off and operating as solo call taker.

Any challenges/ surprises/funny stories?

You think you’ve heard it all... But honestly my favourites are the oldies. There is a couple who have a number of health complications and I have taken their 000 call a few times - as in we are now on a first name basis. It’s beautiful, makes my night every time. It’s always the husband who calls for his wife and he delivers some epic one liners, offering her another level of sass - eg: Is she awake? “Unfortunately!”, or How old is she? “Too old I’ve stopped caring!”. Meanwhile his wife sneaks upstairs and picks up the second landline and listens in and when he responds with his one liners, she makes herself known and they just giggle as they tease each other – it makes the triage a long process, but more than happy to indulge and I feel privileged to witness a love like that. I’ve also had a middle-aged male call complaining that he can’t talk properly - he sounded fine to me, but face value. I asked for clarification - he responded every time he squished his belly button it didn’t talk back to him.

What’s it been like seeing yourself on TV?

Surreal, it gave me a unique opportunity to reflect and visualise how far I have come. As a newly-employed EMD – seeing my growth from student to being qualified through the show has given me the chance to reflect on a job well done, to acknowledge the hard times, and has boosted my confidence. During my episode I identified it is a delicate balance between learning the job and faking the confidence for the caller as no one calls 000 expecting a trainee. It was reassuring to realise I was able to provide those callers with the best patient care and displayed the confidence needed to gain their trust and get the help they needed.

What has been the reaction from colleagues/ family/friends?

I’ve had lots of support from family, and it gave them a chance to relate and gave a more personal feel to the show as they know someone and can identify with me and job we do. In general, it gave them a chance to understand and have an insight into my day-to-day tasks and environment. I am particularly grateful for the experience as my husband was posted to NSW (with RAAF) for the whole of 2021 and wasn’t able to be there or experience this new journey with me. So when he finally came home, we camped out in the hotel and watched it together. He was able to celebrate my achievements with me and get a glimpse into what my year held.

What have you learnt about yourself and/or the QAS from the process?

I learnt that I can do it. And while progress may seem slow or non-existent, it’s there and we do make a difference. Often you can forget when call taking that while your part as the call taker is done, there are still another two phases to go – despatch /call backs and crew arrival – and what information you gather, the rapport you establish will affect the other stages. In most cases you set the attitude and baseline for the public’s perception and interactions with QAS.

What do you think/hope the audience has learnt from Series 4?

Simple: answering our questions is the best way to get help. Too often I have people apologising for calling or for taking up my time. I hope the series has given them a glimpse into our environment and the confidence to call and seek medical assistance - making the process seem less scary or intimidating as they know what to expect to an extent. Also, it hopefully breaks down the self-perceived barriers their complaint doesn’t constitute an emergency and that it is always better to be safe than sorry and most importantly we do not reprimand or judge them for calling. As I often find myself saying to them, “Your emergency is our emergency”.