Ambulance Active Spring 2011Published By Countrywide Austral
Ambulance Active is published by Countrywide Austral. Countrywide Austral adheres to stringent ethical advertising practices and any advertising inquiries should be directed to Countrywide Austral Level 2, 673 Bourke Street, Melbourne • GPO Box 2466, Melbourne 3001 Ph: (03) 9937 0200 Fax: (03) 9937 0201 • Email: admin@cwaustral.com.au
Ambulance Active is published by Countrywide Austral. Countrywide Austral adheres to stringent ethical advertising practices and any advertising inquiries should be directed to Countrywide Austral Level 2, 673 Bourke Street, Melbourne • GPO Box 2466, Melbourne 3001
Ph: (03) 9937 0200 Fax: (03) 9937 0201 • Email: admin@cwaustral.com.au
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cover story<br />
To follow Jamie Jackway’s progress and to donate to the <strong>Austral</strong>ian<br />
National Paramedic Support Foundation please visit www.jja2012im.com<br />
Jamie Jackway is a QAS Rescue helicopter paramedic.<br />
In 2009, while on a rescue mission, Jamie was involved in a<br />
tragic helicopter accident. After 12 months in hospital, and<br />
another year of continued rehabilitation at home, Jamie and<br />
wife Melinee have been overwhelmed by the rally of support<br />
from co-workers and friends. But, facing life as a quadriplegic,<br />
the challenges for this father of three, are not yet over.<br />
Aaron Harper, Intensive Care Paramedic<br />
Jamie Jackway, Thursday Island, June 2009.<br />
This is the story of an<br />
inspirational workmate and friend. To the<br />
many Queensland colleagues who know<br />
of, or have had the pleasure of meeting,<br />
Jamie Jackway, everyone would agree he<br />
is someone you cannot forget.<br />
Jamie was born and raised in<br />
Townsville and joined the Queensland<br />
<strong>Ambulance</strong> Service (QAS) in 2003, based at<br />
Townsville Station as a student paramedic.<br />
Jamie already came with a high level<br />
of training and professionalism after<br />
spending seven years as a Medic (Medical<br />
Corps) in the <strong>Austral</strong>ian Army. It was no<br />
surprise, given his friendly and outgoing<br />
nature that he fitted in well with his peers<br />
at Townsville Station. He was affectionately<br />
known as the Gentle Giant and the only<br />
real concern was whether he would<br />
actually fit into the ambulance. Standing<br />
tall, at 6ft 7inches, that was always going to<br />
be a challenge.<br />
Jamie came from a sporting background<br />
playing State League Basketball and<br />
volleyball. Admittedly, his height was<br />
always an advantage. He also played A<br />
Grade Rugby Union and League.<br />
In 1998, Jamie married Melinee and<br />
the couple are parents to three children<br />
- Noelani, aged 13, Kavakore, nine, and<br />
Tichalla is six years. Amazingly, but not<br />
surprisingly given the type of fellow he is,<br />
Jamie and Melinee also have fulltime care<br />
of 11 year old nephew Jeremiah.<br />
After qualifying as an Advanced Care<br />
Paramedic in 2006, Jamie’s wish was to<br />
transfer to Thursday Island, located in the<br />
Torres Strait, and was ultimately successful –<br />
transferring to QAS Thursday Island Station<br />
in April 2009. Part of Jamie’s job role was to<br />
perform flight paramedic duties on a certain<br />
number of shifts each fortnight. On average,<br />
each rostered day on the helicopter resulted<br />
in at least two patient retrievals around the<br />
Torres Strait. Jamie estimates he would have<br />
done approximately 60 retrievals during his<br />
time on the island.<br />
On 9 November 2009, Jamie had his first<br />
operational winch. The crew, flying a Bell 412<br />
helicopter, were tasked to retrieve a cardiac<br />
AMBULANCE ACTIVE SPRING 2011<br />
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