Vol. 5 Issue 4. 2017

Spring 2017
A DRY WINTER HERALDS
DANGEROUS FIRE SEASON

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CONTENTS
Editor’s Note
Latest Events
• Female Inclusion in
Emergency Services
• Research into PTSD
• Celebrating SES Week
Horrific fire season forecast
Prepare before the season
Where to take refuge
Retaining our volunteers
Drug & alcohol use in the over
50s
Face recogition used to
combat terrorism
Protecting our hospital staff -
Neurosurgeon tells his story
Nurses under attack
Emergency Contacts
australian
emergency
services magazine
www.aesj.com.au
MAGAZINE CONTACTS
1300 851 710
press@aesj.com.au
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publication is Quarterly and are circulated via a database of
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Emergency Services Magazine is in good faith and whilst every
effort is made to ensure that the publication is free of error
and omission, no responsibility or liability will be accepted by
Boothbook Pty Ltd.
Published by Boothbook Media
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www.boothbookmedia.com.au
3

EDITORS NOTE
Welcome to
Spring
4
Spring has well and truly sprung!
After a relatively dry and warmer
than average winter we have
headed very quickly into a spring
that has begun to feel like summer.
This dry winter and warmer
weather is certainly playing havoc
with the environment around us
and has caused experts to give a
dire warning about being prepared
for a bad fire season this summer.
The warmer, drier weather has
meant that there is a lot of dry fuel
lying around. This coupled with
windy, hot and dry weather is a
perfect recipe for disastrous fires
that we have seen in the past. This
issue looks at the prediction and
ways to prepare yourself for the
oncoming fire season.
This month is a time to celebrate
the committment of our SES
workers with SES week. Many of
these amazing volunteers come
to our aid and rescue during the
summer months particularly. If
you are part of the SES or know
someone who is, make sure you
take some time to celebrate with
them. They do an icredible job
within our community.
This edition also pays some
attention toward protecting our
hospital staff. Nuerosurgeon
Michael Wong was stabbed
14 times in the emergency
department at a Melbourne
hospital. You can read more of
his story and see what steps he is
taking to make sure our hospitals
are safe places to be for those
people who care for our loved
ones in times of crisis.
We hope the information within
helps you and your family to be
prepared for the coming summer.
Spring is often the best time to
clean up around the yard, get
rid of anything that is no longer
required that could become a
potential hazard during storms
or fires that are most prevalent
during Summer. Our being
prepared section should help to
give you some ideas on how to feel
ready for the upcoming season.
Look forward to bringing you our
next summer edition - until then,
happy reading and stay safe.
Emma Parker
Editor

LATEST NEWS
CELEBRATING FEMALE
INCLUSION IN EMERGENCY
SERVICES
Last month marked 30 years of
female paramedics in Victoria and
100 years of women in police, and
we have come a long way since
then. Now we are seeing record
numbers of women choosing
these careers.
On 27 July 1987, Andrea Wyatt
became one of Victoria’s first two
female paramedics in metropolitan
Melbourne. Soon after, Melissa
Buckingham was the first and
only female paramedic in rural
Victoria. Georgie Hall became the
fourth female paramedic in 1988.
Andrea continued to break new
ground, becoming the first qualified
MICA female paramedic in
1993 and the first female Clinical
Support Officer in 1995.
Thirty years later, the paramedic
workforce is changing rapidly.
Ambulance Victoria is a leader in
the traditionally male-dominated
emergency services sector, with
women now making up 47 per
cent of Ambulance Victoria staff.
And this number is increasing
significantly with females today
making up about 57 per cent of
graduate paramedic applicants.
Women also fill key leadership
roles such as MICA paramedics,
team and group managers, and in
corporate management.
On 28 July 1917 Madge Connor
and Elizabeth Beers were the first
two women appointed as agents
in Victoria Police. When these
two women were sworn in they
received half the pay of police men
and had no arrest powers.
The centenary anniversary provides
an opportunity to celebrate
the inspirational women of the
force while acknowledging the
historical struggles that women in
policing have faced.
Grace Brebner was another significant
figure who applied to Victoria
Police after reading a newspaper
advertisement in 1939 and was put
on a waiting list with 300 other
aspirational women.
Grace achieved a number of
firsts during her career including
becoming the first female detective
in Australia in 1951, the first
woman to drive a police car and
the first woman to reach the rank
of Inspector in Victoria in 1971.
5

LATEST NEWS
WORLD FIRST RESEARCH INTO PTSD WITHIN AUSTRALIAN
POLICE & EMERGENCY SERVICES
World-first research by beyondblue
will invite up to 20,000 current and
former personnel from 34 police
and emergency organisations across
Australia to participate in a survey
about their mental health and risk of
suicide.
As part of the National Mental
Health and Wellbeing Study of
Police and Emergency Services,
beyondblue is working closely with
employers, personnel and their
families on practical strategies to
improve the mental health of police
and emergency services workers and
volunteers.
It is the first time data is being
collected on a national scale from
police and emergency service
organisations. The research is being
conducted in three phases after
qualitative analysis was gathered in
phase one last year.
From August 2017, police and
emergency service workers will be
surveyed about their wellbeing;
common mental health conditions;
suicide risk; stigma; help-seeking
behaviour; and factors supporting,
or jeopardising, mental health in the
workplace.
The University of Western Australia
and Roy Morgan Research are
working together on phase two of the
study which is expected to conclude
in December.
The Bushfire and Natural Hazards
Cooperative Research Centre – a
national not-for-profit organisation
researching issues of importance to
Australia’s fire and emergency service
authorities – has generously provided
a funding contribution to the study
and will support beyondblue’s work.
“The only national statistic we have
about the mental health of police
and emergency service workers is
a devastating one – 110 Australian
police and emergency services
workers died by suicide between 2010
and 2012,” said beyondblue CEO
Georgie Harman.
“beyondblue’s reputation is based
on its use of scientifically sound,
evidence-based research from which
we build and develop programs to
promote a better understanding of
depression and anxiety and suicide
prevention,” Ms Harman said.
Bushfire and Natural Hazards
Cooperative Research Centre CEO
Dr Richard Thornton said the project
will provide important information
to understand both the number of
people affected and the range of
issues they face.
“The understanding we gain will
be used to design interventions to
support them and their families and
improve personal, family and agency
outcomes,” Dr Thornton said.
In phase one, completed in
November last year by Whereto
Research, current and former police
and emergency service employees,
6

volunteers and family members were
interviewed about their experiences
of mental health conditions in which
participants felt at risk of suicide.
LATEST NEWS
Initial findings suggest:
The nature of the stigma associated
with mental health conditions differs
across police, fire and rescue and
ambulance services;
Although exposure to trauma is seen
as an underlying cause for PTSD,
workplace culture and practices
also contribute to the prevalence of
mental health conditions;
Working in police and emergency
services, particularly for volunteers,
can support workers’ mental health.
“In phase three, beyondblue will
work alongside police and emergency
service organisations to identify
strategies to practically address the
issues raised by the findings of this
research,” Ms Harman said.
These evidence-based strategies
will support individuals, improve
organisational culture and address
systemic concerns that impact on
mental health and wellbeing across
the sector nationally. They will be
developed in collaboration with
a cross-section of the police and
emergency services sector including
agencies, unions, government
departments, individuals and family
and community groups around
Australia.
The research is expected to be
finalised by December 2018.
7

8
LATEST NEWS

CELEBRATING SES
WEEK
Each year, the spotlight shines on
the spirit of volunteering during
SES Week.
Queenslanders are given the
opportunity to learn more
about the SES and recognise the
efforts of SES Members in their
local community during this
momentous week.
It is a week of community
education, engagement and
celebration.
SES Week 2017 will run from
Saturday 7 October 2017 to
Sunday 15 October 2017.
It is an excellent opportunity
to raise public awareness of the
dedication and commitment of
SES members and the invaluable
services they perform within their
communities.
The celebrations include award
ceremonies held state-wide
throughout SES Week and
culminating in the Queensland
State Awards Ceremony in
Brisbane on Sunday 15 October
2017.
The award ceremonies provide
a rare opportunity to say thank
you to particular SES members
that have clocked up several
years of service, or to those that
have undertaken their role in an
exceptional way.
Queensland Fire and Emergency
Services Commissioner Katarina
Carroll said the SES Week
(October 7-15) awards provided
an opportunity to recognise the
outstanding contribution of staff
and volunteers.
“In times of crisis, the State
turns to its more than 6,000 SES
members,” Ms Carroll said.
“These volunteers selflessly donate
their time and energy to assist
their communities and SES Week
is our chance to thank them
for their wonderful service and
dedication.”
SES Area Controller James
Kennedy said Member of the Year
was awarded to Gregory Yuskan
for his commitment and service
to the SES, its members and the
community of Proserpine.
“Mr Yuskan has regularly
gone above and beyond for his
community and his fellow SES,”
Mr Kennedy said.
“Never was this more evident than
when he led the response and
recovery to the devastation caused
to the Whitsundays by Tropical
Cyclone Debbie.
“That he did this while also
dealing with the fact his own
home and family had been
impacted reflects his character.
“We’re fortunate to have him
involved with the SES.”
SES Regional Group of the Year
was awarded to Proserpine
for everything it did for the
Whitsunday community following
the Cyclone Debbie event.
“Tropical Cyclone Debbie
personally affected each member
of this group but they put their
own grief and misfortune aside
to ensure their community got
the help it desperately needed,” he
said.
“This group worked tirelessly at
each recovery task and it was only
when the rest of the community
had received the assistance it
needed that these members
went back to their families and
homes to start their own recovery
processes.”
Just one of the reasons we
celebrate these volunteers during
SES Week.
9

DRY WINTER HERALDS
HORRIFIC FIRE SEASON
It might feel like the depths of
winter, but Australian fire services
are preparing for an early start to the
bushfire season. Sydney has been
covered with smoke from hazard
reduction burns, and the New South
Wales Rural Fire Service has forecast
a “horrific” season.
Predicting the severity of a bushfire
season isn’t easy, and – much like
the near-annual announcements of
the “worst flu season on record” –
repeated warnings can diminish their
urgency.
However, new modelling that
combines Bureau of Meteorology
data with NASA satellite imaging
has found that record-setting July
warmth and low rainfall have created
conditions very similar to 2013, when
highly destructive bushfires burned
across NSW and Victoria.
Crucially, this research has found
we’re approaching a crucial dryness
threshold, past which fires are
historically far more dangerous.
How to measure bushfire fuel
On September 10, 2013 several
bushfires in Sydney’s West caused
havoc well before the official start
of the bushfire season. These were a
precursor to fires that destroyed more
than 200 properties a month later.
Warm, dry winter weather had dried
out the fuels in Sydney’s forests and
bush reserves beyond “normal” levels
for the time of year.
The timing and severity of those
preseason fires were a reminder that
the region’s forests are flammable all
year round; they can burn whenever
the fuel they contain dries out past a
certain threshold.
In most forests, there is an abundance
of fuel in the form of leaf litter, dead
twigs, branches and logs, lower
vegetation such as shrubs and grasses,
as well as higher foliage and branches.
The flammability of all these different
kinds of fuel depends largely on their
moisture content. Leaf litter and fine
dead branches on the soil surface can
dry out in a matter of days, whereas
logs may take weeks or months to
lose their moisture. The moisture
content of shrubs and tree canopies
10

varies depending on the amount of
water in the soil, so they reflect the
overall rainfall and temperatures
across a whole season.
The flammability of an entire forest
is therefore a complex calculation of
all these different kinds of fuel (both
alive and dead) and their different
moisture levels.
In a recent collaborative study, we
combined data from a Bureau of
Meteorology project that maps water
availability levels across Australia
with satellite imagery to develop new
tools for mapping and monitoring
moisture levels of different fuels in
forests and woodlands.
We checked these tools by modelling
fuel moisture levels during fires in
NSW, Victoria and the ACT between
2000 and 2014, and comparing our
predictions to historical bushfires.
Our research has identified critical
dryness thresholds associated with
significant increases in fire area.
Rather than a gradual increase in
flammability as forests dry out, when
dead fuel moisture drops below
15% subsequent bushfires are larger.
Another jump occurs when dead fuel
moisture levels fall below 10%. We
found similar thresholds in growing
plants, although their moisture
content is measured differently.
These dryness thresholds are pivotal,
because they may represent the
breakdown of moist natural barriers
in landscapes that prevent fires
from spreading. Understanding
these mechanisms makes it possible
to predict fire risk much more
accurately.
As part of this project we compared
the fuel moisture in Sydney Basin’s
forested areas in 2013 and 2017. As
shown in the chart below, currently
the live fuel moisture level is tracking
well below the 2013 values, and is
approaching a crucial threshold
(indicated by the dotted line).
The moisture content of dead fuel has
been more variable, but it has also
dipped below the 2013 curve and, if
warm dry weather continues, could
reach critical levels before the end of
August.
11

eceives major rainfall. Forecasts
for windy but largely dry weather in
coming weeks may exacerbate this
problem.
These new insights into landscapescale
fuel dryness provide a powerful
indicator of what might be expected.
They also build our capacity for week
by week monitoring of fire potential.
Preparation by both fire management
authorities and exposed homeowners
is now an immediate priority, to cope
with the strong likelihood of an early
and severe fire season.
The median predicted dead fuel
moisture content and live fuel
moisture content in forest areas of the
Sydney Basin Bioregion in 2013 and
2017.
Black dashed horizontal lines indicate
fuel moisture threshold values. The
start dates of major fires in 2013 are
indicated by orange vertical lines.
In another worrying sign, mapping
shows critically dry live fuel is much
more abundant in 2017 than it was in
2013.
It’s clear that much of the Sydney
Basin is dangerously primed for
major bushfires, at least until it
12

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14
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bushfire risk is reduced, and the
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• Detailed treatments to mitigate or
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• A prioritised works plan for
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• Simple to follow triggers and
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Ecotide’s previous work has included
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PREPARE BEFORE THE SEASON
Getting ready for a bush fire is easier than you think. By taking 20 minutes
with your family to discuss what you’ll do during a fire, you could save their
lives, as well as your home. Many households find that having a discussion
over dinner works best as everybody is together and focussed. There are
simple things you can do around your home to prepare it for a bush fire, like
keeping the grass low and having a cleared area around your home. If there is
a fire in your area you will find its alert level on your local government website
or the ‘Fires Near Me’ app. You need to keep track of the alert level so you
know what you should do. In a bush fire, it’s important that you stay up to date
on conditions in your area.
ARE YOU AND
YOUR FAMILY AT
RISK?
WHAT WILL YOU
DO TO KEEP
SAFE?
QUESTIONS TO ASK
YOURSELF
When will we leave?
Where will we go?
How will we get there?
What will we take?
Who will we call to tell that we’re
leaving and that we have arrived
safely?
16
What is our backup plan?
Neighbourhood Safe Places are a
place of last resort, such as a sports
ground or local building that has
been specially identified for use
during a fire.
Contact your local area to find out
about neighbourhood safe places.
LEAVING EARLY OR PREPARING TO STAY?
One of the most important things to do before a bush fire is to decide what
you’ll do if one should start.
If you plan to leave for a safer place - where will you go and how will you get
there? Your safer place could be with friends and family, and may not be far
away. Know where you will go and never ‘wait and see’.
Decide to stay only if you are well prepared. Before you start, ask your
household:
• Is your home well prepared to make it as safe as possible during a fire?
• Are we putting anyone in our family at risk by staying?
For example children, the elderly, or people with asthma.
• Will we cope in an emergency situation? In a fire, it will be hot, smoky and
physically draining. Even trained firefighters can find it challenging.
If you’re not sure or aren’t prepared, you should leave early.

IF YOU DECIDE TO
STAY ASK THESE
QUESTIONS
Do we have all the equipment we
need?
When there is a fire, what is our
sign to start defending our home?
Do we know what to do
BEFORE, DURING and AFTER
a fire?
It’s not safe to stay with your property under some circumstances, like:
• If the fire danger rating is Catastrophic.
• There is an Extreme fire danger rating and your home is not specially designed
or constructed for bush fires.
• Your property is not well maintained.
• You or the people in your home aren’t mentally and physically fit and ready.
Under these circumstances, you should leave early.
Remember that bush and grass fires can move quickly and catch you off guard.
If you are caught in a fire, protect yourself from the heat.
The safest option is to leave early before the fire reaches you.
DECIDE TO STAY, BUT BE PREPARED
Defending your home from a bush fire can be challenging and you will need
the right equipment. Check off all the equipment you will need in a bush fire
emergency.
Remember, while firefighters and emergency services will do everything they
can to help you, there’s no guarantee that there will be a fire truck available
when you need it. If you decide to stay with your property, it’s your responsibility
to be prepared.
Do all members of our household
KNOW WHAT TO DO in all
situations?
What is our backup plan?
PREPARE YOUR BUSHFIRE
SURVIVAL PLAN
All state government websites
have downloadable copies of
bushfire survival plans. These
guides will give you checklists
and points of discussion to go
over with your household. It is
important that all members of
the house understand what is
in the survival plan and what
the back up plan is. This could
help save lives and your property
during this bushfire season.
Look up bushfire safety on your
state government website to find
out more.
EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST
FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT WE WILL NEED:
[ ] A hose, or hoses, that can reach all around the house
[ ] Water supply of at least 10,000L e.g. water tank, dam, pool
[ ] Petrol/diesel water pump and fuel in a safe, accessible place
[ ] Ladders to access inside the roof
[ ] Buckets and mops
[ ] Shovels and metal rakes
17

PREPARING YOUR
HOME
Block up areas where embers
can enter the house
Install metal fly screens on all
windows and vents
Install metal gutter guards
Position gas cylinders on side
of house and
away from trees and gardens
Direct any pressure valves
away from house
Move garden beds away from
house
Replace wood fences with
metal fences
Use stones instead of mulch
[ ] Wide-brimmed hat
[ ] Eye protection goggles
[ ] Moistened facemask or cloth
[ ] Loose, long sleeved cotton shirt
[ ] Gloves
[ ] Long cotton pants/jeans
[ ] Sturdy leather shoes or boots
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
DECIDE TO STAY, BUT BE PREPARED Cont.
ACTION CHECKLIST
Defending your home can be physically and mentally demanding. It’s important
that everyone knows exactly what to do if a fire happens.
OUTSIDE:
BEFORE (well before the fire has arrived)
Turn off gas mains and/or bottle
Move flammable items away from the house
Block drain pipes with socks full of sand and fill gutters with water. Don’t get
on the roof to hose it down
Move animals to a well-grazed or ploughed area away from the house and
wind
Patrol the house well before the fire arrives to put out embers and spot fires
As the fire approaches, wet the side of the house and garden that faces the fire
Move your firefighting equipment to a place where it won’t burn inside
INSIDE:
Close doors, windows and vents
Fill baths, sinks, buckets and bins with water
Confine pets to one room
Place ladder next to roof access hole so you can check for spot fires
Soak towels and rugs
and lay them across external doorways
Move furniture away from windows
DURING (as the fire is upon you)
If flames are on top of you or the heat become unbearable move inside until
the fire front has passed (usually 5-10 minutes)
Patrol the inside of the house, including roof space, looking for sparks and
embers
Shelter in a room on the opposite side of the house from the approaching fire
and ensure you have clear access to an exit
18


AFTER (immediately after the fire has passed)
Check the house both inside and out for fires, including roof cavity, under the
house, deck, stairs, windowsills etc
If possible, and safe to do so, check all your neighbours are OK
Contact relatives or friends to tell them you are safe
Patrol your home for several hours, looking for small fires and burning embers

PREPARE YOUR HOME AND PROPERTY
There are some simple things you can do around your home to prepare it for a
bush fire. You need to prepare well beforehand as leaving it to the last minute
is too late.
Here are five simple things you can do before and during the bush fire season.
1. TRIM
Trim overhanging trees and shrubs. This can stop the fire spreading to your
home.
2. MOW
Mow grass and remove the cuttings. Have a cleared area around your home.
3. REMOVE
Remove material that can burn around your home (e.g. Door mats, wood
piles, mulch, leaves, paint, outdoor furniture).
4. CLEAR
Clear and remove all the debris and leaves from the gutters surrounding your
home. Burning embers can set your home on fire.
5. PREPARE
Prepare a sturdy hose or hoses that will reach all around your home. Make
sure you’ve got a reliable source of water.
KNOW YOUR RISK
A bush or grass fire can happen at any time of the year but the risk is
higher during the warmer months, when bush, grass or scrub is drier.
You don’t have to live right near the bush to be at risk. Even if your
home is a few streets back, you may be at risk.
You can check for bush fire prone areas in your area on your local council
website. Look for your Bush Fire Prone Land Map.
PREPARE YOUR RURAL
PROPERTY
Remove overhanging branches
from power lines
Ensure that a fire tanker can
access your property
Clear fire breaks along paddock
boundaries
Store petrol, diesel and gas away
from home
Keep a well-maintained area
around the home and sheds
Place water pipes from dams
underground and install pump
to the house
Make sure hoses have spray
nozzles
Keep water tanks full and
connect them to pumps
A CLEARED AREA
AROUND YOUR HOME
CAN SLOW A FIRE
SPREADING AND GIVE
FIREFIGHTERS A SAFE
AREA TO WORK.
There are a number of things which can affect the way a fire burns,
including:
SLOPE – a fire travelling uphill will travel faster. In fact, for every 10 degrees
of slope, a fire can double its speed. As a fire speeds up, it becomes
more intense and more dangerous.
VEGETATION – smaller items such as twigs, branches and leaves are
known as ‘fine fuels’. These can burn very easily. Burning bark, twigs
and leaves can also be blown in the wind.
WEATHER – when it’s hot, dry and windy, fires can be more intense
and unpredictable. Strong winds can send a fire in different directions
and cause burning embers to be blown through the air.
State of New South Wales (NSW Rural Fire Service).
19

WHERE TO TAKE REFUGE IN
YOUR HOME
20
When you live in a bushfire-prone
area you can’t ignore the danger. Most
individuals and families address this
necessity by preparing a bushfire
survival plan. The best way to survive
a bushfire is not to be there when it
arrives.
For most Australian fire agencies
the “leave early” policy has largely
replaced the previous “stay and
defend or leave early” one. This
reflects an emphasis on preserving
human life during a bushfire event
– an emphasis that has strengthened
since the 2009 Black Saturday
bushfires.
Even when planning to leave early,
unexpected events can occur. Not
being able to find a child or family
pet may delay departure until it’s no
longer safe to travel. Taking refuge
in your home then becomes a last
resort, a worst-case scenario. But this
contingency is worth considering as
part of your bushfire survival plan.
If you do need to take refuge inside
your home during a bushfire, which
parts are likely to be the safest? As
part of my PhD research, I asked 252
residents living in bushfire-prone
areas which parts of their houses they
would shelter in during a bushfire,
which parts they would avoid, and
why. I then analysed the features of
these locations against the known
places where people died in their
home during bushfires in Australia
from 1901 to 2011.
Determining the safer places to
shelter is further complicated as
all houses are not the same. There
are many different types, with large
variations in design, construction
materials, location and surrounding
vegetation. It is therefore not possible
to give absolute answers on where
people should take shelter in their
homes during a bushfire, but some
general guidelines can be given.
Where are the safer spaces to shelter?
Upstairs is generally a more
dangerous space to seek shelter
during a bushfire. Upstairs levels
are more difficult to escape from.
Often they have large windows
and sliding glass doors which are
designed to capture views, but due
to radiant heat and strong winds
can crack and implode. Upper levels
are often constructed of lightweight
materials that are more flammable
and vulnerable to direct flame contact
from burning trees.
The ground floor is generally a safer
space to shelter. The ground level
usually has more external doors from
which the occupant can escape. On
a sloping block, however, the easiest
level from which to exit may be the
first floor. The ground level often
has smaller windows (except those
leading to entertainment areas). From
the ground floor it is easier to get to
the driveway and closer to an external
water source such as a water tank.
People often suggest the bathroom
as a good place to shelter during a
bushfire. However, the bathroom
can also be dangerous. During a
bushfire, mains water is often cut or
the pressure is reduced to a trickle.
Despite having tiled walls, noncombustible
fittings and a water
supply, bathrooms like other rooms
are vulnerable to the collapse of a
burning ceiling when embers have
ignited in the roof cavity.
Most bathrooms do not have an
external door that residents can use
to exit the house. In a bathroom it
can be difficult to see the progress of
a fire. And as bathrooms are small
enclosed spaces they may be more
vulnerable to carbon monoxide
poisoning.
My advice is to look at all the
external ground floor doors (while
remembering that glass doors
can be dangerous because of their
vulnerability to radiant heat), and
determine which of them provide
access to adjoining outside paved,
gravel, concrete or other noncombustible
areas. You should also
see if there is a small window from
which you can observe the progress
of the bushfire, and if there is a
sink close by to store water. Where
possible consider installing a fire
alarm that has a carbon monoxide
sensor with audible and visual alerts.
When you have identified the most
suitable place in the house to actively
shelter during a bushfire, follow
the bushfire preparation activities
provided by fire authorities. Some
of these will include looking out of
a window to follow the progress of
the fire and being aware of current
bushfire updates on the radio and via
mobile phone. There is no such thing
as passive sheltering.
Being inside your home as the fire
passes offers more protection than
being outside. But it should be seen
as a last resort, with leaving early
the preferred action. Fire agencies
work hard to inform residents of
days when bushfires are likely, and to
provide updates on fires that do break
out. Residents in bushfire-prone
areas should take these warnings
and updates seriously and leave their
properties when advised to do so,
especially when catastrophic fires are
expected.

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21

S
RETAINING OUR
Emergency services in Australia
are struggling to hold onto their
volunteer staff. In New South
Wales, for example, only half of the
1,700 volunteers who join the State
Emergency Service are still active
members a year later. In Western
Australia, the overall yearly turnover
is 12-18% and rising.
This represents a serious drain on the
sector. Precise volunteer numbers are
not always collated, but we estimate
that more than 240,000 emergency
service volunteers across Australia
help to protect regional, rural and
remote communities where the
sprawling areas make it impractical
to rely solely on career emergency
workers.
The large turnover is an economic
liability, as training and uniforms
(including personal protective
equipment) are expensive.
Meanwhile, the constant drain
of volunteers can affect not just
operational capacity, but morale too.
Volunteer brigades and units
are managed by the volunteers
themselves. This can lead to tensions
between these quasi-independent
groups and the paid staff who work
in the regional, district of head
office. But such tensions can also
arise within the volunteer groups
themselves, and effective leadership
is therefore a crucial element in
retaining new recruits.
Keeping volunteers on board
Our research group has therefore
partnered with Australian emergency
service agencies to try to give leaders
the interpersonal skills required to
support members and hold onto
volunteer staff more effectively.
To do this, we trialled a training
program based on self-determination
theory (SDT). Our results suggest this
could be a very useful tool.
22

Self-determination theory recognises
three basic psychological needs
required for motivated, happy staff:
• autonomy: the need for volition,
to make decisions and express
one’s personal initiatives and
ideas
• competence: the need to feel
effective and capable
• relatedness: the need to feel
accepted and part of the group
Self-determination theory’s basic
psychological needs have been
researched and applied across
diverse social environments such as
homes, workplaces, schools, sports
teams, and health care. Research
suggests that when workers’ needs
for autonomy, competence and
relatedness are met they are more
motivated, engaged, satisfied, and less
likely to be considering quitting.
To try to apply this approach to
volunteer emergency services, we
developed a nine-week program
called Inspire Retain Engage (IRE),
to teach leaders to interact with their
members using SDT principles.
The program consisted of a oneday
face-to-face training to learn
about self-determination theory and
leadership, where leaders worked
together to identify key strategies
to support each of the three basic
psychological needs. For example,
leaders could build relatedness by
getting to know volunteers and their
interests.
Participants then developed their
own nine-week action plan that
they implemented in their units
and brigades with the support of an
online mentor. This was followed
by a final day of reflection, sharing
successes and identifying best
practice.
23

We piloted the IRE program in 2014
with volunteer leaders from the New
South Wales State Emergency Service
and the NSW Rural Fire Service. It
was then further refined and tested
in 2016 with volunteer leaders and
staff of the Victoria State Emergency
Service and the Queensland Fire and
Emergency Services.
Participants learn to apply selfdetermination
theory principles to
their leadership practices at the IRE
program in 2014. Author provided
In total, we have trialled this
approach with 72 members from four
different volunteer-based emergency
service agencies.
We evaluated the program’s impact by
surveying IRE participants, volunteer
members supervised by participants
and other volunteer leaders not a part
of the program, both before and after
IRE.
The findings revealed that the selfdetermination
theory principles –
encouraging autonomy, competence
and relatedness in their role – were
linked with higher job satisfaction
among volunteers, and a more
widespread intention to continue
volunteering with their current
agency. Basic psychological needs
accounted for 56% of the variance in
volunteers’ job satisfaction and 49%
of turnover intention.
Getting results
When emergency service leaders
were surveyed about current
volunteer leadership courses available
respondents told us that such training
is often hard to access, limited
in scope, and does not focus on
interpersonal skills.
The results of the evaluation showed
the IRE program improved leaders’
managerial orientation. When
compared to other leaders in the
organisation, program participants
adopted more motivational and less
controlling managerial approaches
nine weeks later. In addition, 46%
of members reported a difference in
their team leader’s interactions with
them during the program.
Overall, the feedback was
overwhelmingly positive. 100% of
leaders agreed that self-determination
theory was a valuable model for
emergency service leadership, and
84% said they would recommend
the program to other leaders in their
organisation.
As of 2017, the IRE program is
available to all emergency service
agencies in Australia and we are
satisfied with its benefit to volunteer
leaders, staff and their agencies.
But of course, only time will tell
whether this kind of thinking will
improve retention of our valued
volunteer emergency workers in the
long term.
24

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25

BEER, BONGS &
BABY BOOMERS
the unlikely tale of drug and
alcohol use in the over 50s
26

If you ask someone what a typical
heavy drinker or drug user looks like,
they’re probably more likely to evoke
images of Gen Ys with tattoos and
piercings than greying baby boomers.
But recent Australian data, outlined
in our British Medical Journal
editorial today, shows rates of alcohol
and drug use are actually decreasing
among younger age groups, while
increasing dramatically in people
over the age of 50.
Not only is there a rise in the
proportion of older people who
regularly drink at risky levels, there
are also more older people using
cannabis.
So, it’s not surprising Australia’s
recently released National Drug
Strategy 2017-2026 identifies older
people as a priority group for
attention.
The data has implications not only
for the health of the over 50s, but also
for health professionals that diagnose
and manage substance use or misuse,
and the complications that can arise
from it.
Evidence shows we can no longer
view drug and alcohol issues purely
as a young person’s concern.
Low birth rates and extended life
expectancy have resulted in large
increases in the proportion of older
Australians and higher absolute
numbers of older people who drink
and use drugs.
For example, the one in four 50-59
year-olds drinking at risky levels
(five or more standard drinks in a
single session) corresponds to about
755,394 people.
Baby boomers (born between 1946
and 1964) have higher rates of alcohol
and drug use than earlier cohorts of
older Australians and many continue
this use into their older years.
Improvements in health care and
treatments for substance use mean
more people survive into old age,
drinking and taking drugs for longer.
Older Australians today also have
more disposable income than in
previous generations, making access
to alcohol and drugs more affordable.
Our research, using data from the
National Drug Strategy Household
Survey, shows high-risk drinking (11
or more standard drinks on a single
occasion) in the over 50s increased
significantly between 2004 and 2013.
People living in regional or remote
areas or who smoke tobacco were
more likely to drink this way.
The newly released 2016 data
indicates this upward trend is
continuing even more strongly.
In 2016, 11.9% of 50-59 year olds
drank at high-risk levels at least
yearly (up from 9.1% in 2013). A total
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27

of 5.8% did so at least monthly (up
from 4.1%).
Cannabis use among the over 50s
more than doubled between 2004 and
2013, from 1.5% to 3.6%. Unmarried
men who smoked, drank alcohol, and
used other drugs were particularly
likely to use cannabis.
There is little reliable data on other
illicit drug use in older people. But
our data shows older people are using
more pharmaceuticals, like sedatives
and opioids, than before.
And in 2016, 4.1% of 50-59 year
olds and 4.5% of people 60 and over
used pharmaceutical drugs for nonmedical
purposes.
Older people often use
pharmaceuticals to treat pain (both
physical and emotional) or sleep
problems. This can also result in
balance problems, falls/injuries,
reduced ability to function, and even
death.
You can find out more about the
prevalence of substance use among
older Australians in the National
Alcohol and Drug Knowledgebase.
Growing use of alcohol, cannabis,
and prescription drug misuse among
older Australians is concerning for a
number of reasons.
Older people are more sensitive to
the toxic effects of substances such
as alcohol. This is because ageing
reduces the body’s capacity to
metabolise, distribute, and excrete
alcohol and drugs.
Older people are also more
likely to have existing physical or
psychological conditions, or to take
medicines that may interact with
alcohol and drugs.
So older people who use alcohol and/
or drugs may be more likely to have:
falls and other injuries, diabetes and
cardiovascular disease, mental health
problems (including suicide), obesity,
liver disease, early-onset dementia
and other brain injury, sleep
disorders, and blood borne diseases.
Not all older people who use alcohol
and/or drugs have problems. Older
people, like other age groups, use
alcohol or drugs in many different
ways and for many different reasons,
as we show with this “typology of
older users”:
• maintainers continue with their
previously unproblematic use as
they get older. But age-related
changes (like those already
outlined) result in increased
harms later in life
• survivors begin using alcohol/
drugs early in life. They have a
long history of substance use
problems that persist into older
age and this often results in other
physical and/or mental health
problems
• reactors begin using alcohol/
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drugs in their 50s or 60s, often
due to stressful events, like grief,
retirement, marital breakdown,
social isolation (particularly older
women), or due to pain.
The good news is, research shows
substance use treatment is just as
effective for older people as it is for
younger age groups.
Treatment programs adapted
specifically for older people have even
better outcomes.
This is important, as the number of
older people who require treatment
for alcohol or drug problems is
increasing substantially, both in
Australia and overseas.
Unfortunately, there are barriers
that can make it harder for older
Australians to access treatment or
support.
Health-care practitioners and family
members may:
• be reluctant to ask older people
“embarrassing” questions about
substance use
• not know alcohol/drug use is
common in older people, or how
to address it
• incorrectly attribute symptoms
of problem substance use to “just
getting older”
• incorrectly believe older people
are too old to change.
Older people may also be reluctant to
seek help because of embarrassment,
logistical problems (like a lack of
transport), inappropriate treatment
services for older people, or they do
not know where to turn for help.
To combat these problems, we
developed a free guide to preventing
and reducing alcohol and drug
related harm among older people for
health and welfare professionals.
Health-care services and the aged
care sector need to work better
together to prevent problem
substance use among older people.
They also need to provide ageappropriate
treatment and harm
minimisation services to people who
need them.
Clinicians also need to better identify
and treat alcohol, cannabis, and
prescription drug misuse in their
older patients.
Finally, we need more research into
the best approaches for helping older
people with substance use problems.
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someone else’s alcohol or drug use,
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30

A commitment to share the biometric
data of most Australians – including
your driving licence photo – agreed
at Thursday’s Council of Australian
Governments (COAG) meeting will
result in a further erosion of our
privacy.
That sharing is not necessary. It will
be costly. But will it save us from
terrorism? Not all, although it will
give people a false sense of comfort.
Importantly, it will allow politicians
and officials to show that they are
doing something, in a climate where
a hunt for headlines demands the
appearance of action.
Your biometric data
Biometric data used in fingerprint
and facial recognition systems
is indelible. It can be used in
authoritative identity registers,
featured on identity documents such
as passports and driver licences.
It can be automatically matched with
data collected from devices located in
airports, bus and train stations, retail
malls, court buildings, prisons, sports
facilities and anywhere else we could
park a networked camera.
Australia’s state and territory
governments have built large
biometric databases through
registration of people as drivers –
every licence has a photograph of
the driver. The national government
has built large databases through
registration for passports, aviation/
maritime security and other
purposes.
Irrespective of your consent to uses
beyond those for which the picture
was taken, the governments now
have a biometric image of most
Australians, and the ability to search
the images.
COAG announced that the
governments will share that data in
the name of security.
Sharing data with who?
Details of the sharing are very
unclear. This means we cannot
evaluate indications that images
will be captured in both public and
private places. For example, in retail
malls and libraries or art galleries
– soft targets for terrorism – rather
than in streets and secure buildings
such as Parliament House.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull
has responded to initial criticism
by clarifying that matching will not
involve “live” CCTV.
But the history of Australian
surveillance law has been a matter of
creep, with step-by-step expansion
of what might initially have been an
innocuous development. When will
law enforcement agencies persuade
their ministers to include live public
or private CCTV for image matching?
We cannot tell which officials will
be accessing the data and what
safeguards will be established to
prevent misuse. Uncertainty about
safeguards is worrying, given the
history of police and other officials
inappropriately accessing law
enforcement databases on behalf of
criminals or to stalk a former partner.
The sharing occurs in a nation
where Commonwealth, state and
territory privacy law is inconsistent.
That law is weakly enforced, in
part because watchdogs such as the
Office of the Australian Information
Commissioner (OAIC) are underresourced,
threatened with closure or
31

have clashed with senior politicians.
Australia does not have a coherent
enforceable right to privacy. Instead
we have a threadbare patchwork
of law (including an absence of a
discrete privacy statute in several
jurisdictions).
The new arrangement has been
foreshadowed by governments over
several years. It can be expected to
creep, further eroding privacy and
treating all citizens as suspects.
Software and hardware providers
will be delighted: there’s money to be
made by catering to our fears. But we
should be asking some hard questions
about the regime and questioning
COAG’s statement.
Let’s avoid a privacy car crash
Will sharing and expansion of the
biometric network – a camera near
every important building, many
cameras on every important road –
save us from terrorism? The answer
is a resounding no. Biometrics, for
example, seems unlikely to have saved
people from the Las Vegas shooter.
Will sharing be cost effective? None
of the governments have a great
track record with major systems
integration. The landscape is littered
with projects that went over budget,
didn’t arrive on time or were quietly
killed off.
Think the recent Census and
Centrelink problems, and the
billion dollar bust up known as the
Personally Controlled Electronic
Health Record.
It won’t be improved by a new
national ID card to fix the Medicare
problem.
Is the sharing proportionate? One
answer is to look at experience in
India, where the Supreme Court
has comprehensively damned that
nation’s ambitious Aadhaar biometric
scheme that was meant to solve
security, welfare and other problems.
The Court – consistent with
decisions in other parts of the world
– condemned the scheme as grossly
disproportionate: a disregard of
privacy and of the dignity of every
citizen.
Is sharing likely to result in harms,
particularly as the biometric network
grows and grows? The answer again
is yes. One harm, disregarded by our
opportunistic politicians, is that all
Australians and all visitors will be
regarded as suspects.
Much of the data for matching will
be muddy – some street cameras, for
example, are fine resting places for
pigeons – and of little value.
As with the mandatory metadata
retention scheme, the more data (and
more cameras) we have the bigger
trove of indelible information for
hackers. Do not expect the OAIC or
weak state privacy watchdogs (which
in some jurisdictions do not exist) to
come to the rescue.
As a society we should demand
meaningful consultation about
official schemes that erode our rights.
We should engage in critical thinking
rather than relying on headlines that
reflect political opportunism and
institutional self-interest.
The incoherent explanation and
clarifications should concern
everyone, irrespective of whether
they have chosen to be on Facebook
– and even if they have nothing to
hide and will never be mistaken for
someone else.
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Collection
www.serenitycollection.com.au
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sales@serenitycollection.com.au
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32

PROTECTING OUR
HOSPITAL STAFF
Neurosurgeon Michael Wong tells his story
of being stabbed 14 times in a Melbourne
Hospital
33

34
The attacker struck in the
foyer of Melbourne’s Western
Hospital on an otherwise
ordinary Tuesday morning.
I’d just arrived, and had my mobile
phone out to ring my registrar to
ask whether I had time to nick up
to the wards and see my patients, or
whether I needed to go straight to
the outpatient clinic.
At first I thought I’d been
pushed in the back. Then I
slipped on my own blood and
fell to the floor. I was being
stabbed, over and over again. I
remember turning my head so a
blow coming at my eye instead
landed on my skull. Being a
neurosurgeon, I could all too easily
picture the blade piercing my brain
through the eye socket.
I remember people yelling, and the
tug on my clothing as I was dragged
along the floor through a set of
double doors to safety and along the
corridors to Emergency, leaving a
trail of blood.
The full story of my rescue and the
incredible bravery and people behind
it – including nurses, an intern, a
hospital technician and a leukaemia
patient – only emerged much later.
I remember looking at my arms
and hands; there were deep cuts. I
remember being aware that I was
breathless, and trying to slow my
breathing – not knowing I had a
punctured lung. I remember the look
of absolute horror on my registrar’s
face, as I was wheeled past him on a
hospital trolley on my way to surgery.
I remember asking someone to call
my wife.
I remember the pain of being
prepped for surgery, the sting of
antiseptics on open wounds, and
asking the anaesthetist why they
couldn’t put me to sleep first. (They
didn’t tell me it was for fear that I
would go into arrest, and they wanted
to wait until the full medical team
was assembled.)
Hazily, I remember waking with a
tube in my throat and seeing my wife
– then things fade out until I woke to
the moment of truth.
It was 2am and I was alone, in a
hospital bed. I knew where I was and
what had happened. The big question,
my big fear, was that I might have
had a stroke as a result of the attack. I
moved one side of my body, and then
other. Both sides worked. It was then
that I felt I would be okay in the end.
I was fortunate that instead of being
bystanders, brave people intervened
to get me away from my attacker. The
surgical team did an incredible job
of stitching me back together, with
a cardio-thoracic surgeon removing
part of my lung to stem bleeding
and three plastic surgeons mending
severed tendons and muscles in my
arms and hands.
I was also lucky to have a supportive
family who helped me through the
process of recovery.
My arms and hands were in splints
for six weeks. I couldn’t eat without
help, or get dressed. I couldn’t wipe
my own backside – at times, I had my
eight-year-old son helping me in the
bathroom. If that’s not humbling, I
don’t know what is.
Ironically, there was part of me
that was pleased to have some time
off from the constant pressure to
work more and more hours in the
resource-constrained public hospital
system. At the time of my recovery,
MH370 went missing, and I watched
hours and hours of coverage on TV.
When the splints came off, I was
fortunate to have a hand therapist
who worked with me over the next
12 months to enable me to regain
strength and movement.
I was also lucky to be able recover
fully and return to work.
And I’ve been lucky that I don’t seem
to have been left psychologically
scarred – other than disliking
crowded areas in hospitals, and
people walking behind me.

People ask how I can have escaped
psychological damage. I think it’s
partly because in my career I’ve seen
a lot of bad things – four-year-olds
with malignant brain tumours, young
people smashed to pieces.
I know bad things happen to good
people so I didn’t waste time asking
why, instead focusing on what I
needed to do to recover.
If anything, my experience has made
me a better doctor – not from a
technical perspective, but in terms
of a deeper understanding of how
it feels to be a patient, including the
inconvenience and loss of control, the
fear and pain. I came to understand
that the essence of good care was
time.
For the most part, I’ve
compartmentalised the attack and
put it away, and that seems to work
for me.
Protecting staff
I don’t enjoy revisiting the attack,
but as someone fortunate enough
to have survived I speak out on my
experiences to campaign for better
hospital security – most recently in
the wake of a fatal one punch assault
on Melbourne cardiothoracic surgeon
Dr Patrick Pritzwald-Stegmann.
My attacker was mentally unwell.
People ask me if “the way forward” is
better mental health care. While that
would be welcome, the solutions I’m
calling for are simpler.
First, busy public areas of hospitals
should have trained security
guards in them. You can’t have
security guards everywhere, but
I think it’s realistic to expect they
can be stationed in hospital foyers
and outpatient clinics – as well as
emergency departments.
Second, fewer areas of hospital
should be public. All wards should be
accessible only via swipe card access
in the same way surgical theatres are
protected today.
Third, hospitals should have secure
entries for staff.
Hospital staff also need to play their
part by taking the time to report
violent incidents – ideally on easy-touse
streamlined report forms.
Management need to take the issue
seriously – there’s a good business
case for investments that reduce
occupational violence. Dealing with
violent patients or bystanders wastes
staff time. If staff are injured, they
may need to take time off work for
treatment. Indirectly, occupational
violence contributes to stress that
can lead to burn-out, psychological
damage and employee turnover.
There are also issues of legal liability.
A Fairfax analysis of Victorian
hospital annual reports in 2015-
2016, found there were 8,627 violent
incidents reported – almost one an
hour – with 1,166 resulting injuries.
While it is commendable annual
reports must include this data, and
other states should follow suit, the
true number is probably far higher
due to under-reporting.
In the past year, in my own practice,
I’ve operated on two hospital
employees suffering severe back pain
as a result of occupational violence
at the hands of patients. It’s not just
physical pain they suffered, but
emotional trauma. I had a grown
man weeping in my rooms.
In the wake of the attack on Dr
Pritzwald-Stegmann, but before his
death, the Victorian Government hit
the headlines with a new advertising
campaign and a doubling of funding
(to A$40 million) to the Health
Service Violence Prevention Fund.
Hospital administrators will be able
to apply for funding for projects they
believe will have the most impact.
While any funding is good funding,
and gift horses shouldn’t be looked
in the mouth, this system relies
on hospital administrators to be
proactive and accurately judge
the merit of competing proposals.
Unfortunately, there are no
guarantees the money will be spent to
achieve the greatest possible impact
across all public hospitals.
I did not know him personally, but
clearly Patrick was doing valuable,
life-saving work for the Australian
community when he was cut down in
his prime. And of course, he wasn’t
just a surgeon, but a husband and
father too. It’s a senseless loss that no
family should have to endure, and
one that tragically further underlines
the importance of getting hospital
security right.
35

NURSES UNDER ATTACK
Two recent violent episodes against
nurses in emergency departments
have again highlighted the issue of
inadequate protections for nursing
staff.
In both cases the nurses, from Wyong
Hospital on the central coast of NSW
and The Royal Melbourne Hospital in
Victoria, were held hostage by knifewielding
patients. These cases seem
extreme, but they are not isolated.
Nurses are exposed to high levels
of physical and verbal violence, to
the point where this has become an
expected and even accepted part of
their job.
In 1999, the Australian Institute
of Criminology ranked the health
industry as the most violent
workplace in the country. According
to US statistics, health-care workers
are five to 12 times more likely than
other workers to experience violence
in the workplace.
Worldwide, nurses are more likely
to be attacked at work than prison
guards and police officers. And
yet such incidents remain underreported
and existing protections are
not enough to ensure the safety of
nurses and their patients.
Nurses are at the front line of violence
in hospitals, particularly those
working in emergency, aged care
and mental health. The frequency
and severity of violent incidents are
increasing, yet such episodes remain
vastly under-reported.
Government figures show the
number of “code blacks” – incidents
where the safety of hospital staff is
threatened – is rising. By February
this year, 6,245 code blacks had
been reported so far for 2016-17,
compared to 4,765 at the same point
in 2015-16, in South Australian
public hospitals.
Emergency departments have the
highest incidence of violence in
health care. Up to 90% of emergency
department staff have experienced
some type of violence in their
careers. Violence covers a range of
behaviours, from verbal abuse and
threats through to physical violence.
Verbal abuse, especially swearing, is
the most common type of violence.
Nurses in emergency departments
experience daily verbal abuse.
Physical violence often occurs at the
same time as verbal abuse and can
include the use of weapons on hand –
such as syringes, scalpels, scissors and
furniture.
Nurses working in emergency rooms
are at high risk of patient violence.
from shutterstock.com
Patients are responsible for most
of the violence committed against
nurses. This includes children and
their parents or carers. Patients under
the influence of alcohol or drugs,
including ice, and those with mental
health issues are the most likely to
become violent.
The impact of patient-related
violence on nurses is far-reaching.
Verbal abuse can cause significant
psychological trauma and stress to
nurses, even if no physical injury has
36

occurred. This can include symptoms
of depression, post-traumatic stress
disorder, drug and alcohol abuse and
even chronic pain – all of these can
last up to 12 months after an incident.
The types of physical injuries nurses
sustain range from minor scratches
and bruises, through to serious
injuries such as fractures, stab
wounds, attempted strangulations
and even death.
In 2011 a nurse was punched in
the face and stabbed with a butter
knife in the arm, back and breast
area. In 2011 a patient stabbed a
mental health nurse to death in
regional NSW. And in 2016, a remote
area nurse was abducted, raped
and murdered in northern South
Australia.
Exposure to patient-related violence
can also affect the way nurses interact
with patients. They can feel less
empathy and their quality of care
can suffer. There’s a link between
violence experienced by nurses and
subsequent adverse events in patients.
These included late administration
of medications and an increase
in the number of patient falls and
medication errors.
Some strategies can prevent and
manage violence. These include
using security guards, duress alarms,
workplace design and training in
aggression minimisation for frontline
staff.
The Australasian College for
Emergency Medicine recommends
a lack of hiding spaces outside
emergency departments, the use of
CCTV cameras, a visible security
presence, physical barriers such as
glass screens at triage (the area where
the nurse assesses the severity of
your condition in relation to other
emergency department patients),
a restricted access area and good
lighting.
The use of such strategies is
inconsistent in Australia. Training
in aggression minimisation is
designed to improve the knowledge
and skills of staff in recognising and
responding to potentially violent
people. It is compulsory for those
working in high-risk clinical areas
like the emergency department.
Yet large numbers of nurses have
not completed any training or have
not completed the regular refresher
programs required.
Security guards are not present in all
Australian emergency departments,
and are often ill equipped to deal with
the levels of violence they encounter.
They are unarmed and do not carry
handcuffs. As they are meant to
observe and report on episodes, they
lack powers to restrain or detain
people who threaten or assault
hospital staff.
In 2016 a patient under the influence
of ice shot a security guard and police
officer at Sydney’s Nepean Hospital.
In some smaller hospitals no security
is provided after hours. This is despite
the fact regional nurses experience
the same levels and types of violence
as their metropolitan colleagues.
In response to increasing violence in
NSW public hospitals, in February
2016 the then NSW health minister,
Jillian Skinner, issued a 12-point
action plan for increasing security. A
detailed security audit was conducted
in 20 emergency departments.
Wyong Hospital was one of those
audited. But the recent violent attack
on two nurses seems to indicate not
much has changed.
Given the strategies in place are
inadequate and staff continue to be
attacked on the job, changes must
be introduced as a priority. The
management of violence needs to
catch up with the daily reality facing
health-care staff, to ensure workplace
and personal safety are valued
alongside patient safety.
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39

EMERGENCY
CONTACTS
For Police, Fire & Ambulance across Australia dial 000
SES PoliceLink Crimestoppers
131444 132500 1800 333 000
13HEALTH Health Direct Australia Bureau of Meteorology
1343 2584 1800 022 222 1300 659 213
International Incident Emergency Helpline
1300 555 135
Victorian Country Fire Authority
1800 240 667
FOR LOCAL NUMBERS OR INFORMATION PLEASE REFER TO YOUR STATE OR
LOCAL GOVERNMENT WEBSITE
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DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION OF EOS
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0434 541 290 121 THE AVENUE, GRANVILLE NSW
40

APPS TO HELP
YOU IN AN
EMERGENCY
TECHNOLOGY IS FOREVER CHANGING AND IN MOST CASES TRYING
TO IMPROVE OUR ACCESS TO INFORMATION. WE HAVE PUT
TOGETHER THE TOP APPS IN AUSTRALIA THAT ARE FOCUSED ON
KEEPING YOU SAFE AND INFORMED DURING THIS COMING SUMMER.
Fires Near Me App - Developed by the NSW Rural Fire Service it will
provide information about bushfires from participating fire agencies across
Australia. The app finds your location using a map and will give relevant information
around you. It also allows you to choose a location. The app also
provides information on total fire bans.
The Emergency+ app is a free app developed by Australia’s emergency
services and their Government and industry partners.
The app uses GPS functionality built into smart phones to help a Triple Zero
(000) caller provide critical location details required to mobilise emergency
services
Emergency AUS App - delivers warning and incident information issued
by official agencies across Australia. Providing you with real-time access to
official warnings, incident reports and public Sensory Observations to aid
in better decision making during emergencies and disasters. By bringing
together emergency information from over 25 emergency service agencies
and accessing observations submitted by the public
Triple Zero Kids Challenge App - Start playing and learn about what happens
when you call Triple 000. The online game is designed for children of
kindergarten and primary school age and consists of a number of safety scenarios.
The game is available in seven languages including English, Arabic,
Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai, Hindi and Dinka.
41

Drink driving
Get the facts
Drink driving is one
of the major killers
on Queensland roads.
In 2015, drink driving contributed to 57 fatalities on Queensland roads –
that’s almost one in every four fatalities.
Drinking alcohol reduces our ability to drive safely. Alcohol affects judgement, vision,
coordination and reflexes, and increases the risk of crashing.
The facts
• In Queensland, Learner, Provisional and Probationary Licence holders are not permitted to drive after drinking any
alcohol. They must have a zero blood/breath alcohol concentration (BAC) limit.
• Open licence holders must have a BAC lower than 0.05. The same applies for supervisors of car and motorcycle
learner drivers.
• The following licence holders must also maintain a zero BAC when driving:
– any vehicle weighing over 4.5 tonnes or an articulated motor vehicle. For example, a B-double or road train
– a bus built or fitted to carry over 12 adults, including the driver
– a vehicle carrying a placard load of dangerous goods
– a taxi, limousine or public passenger vehicle
– a tow truck, pilot or escort vehicle escorting an oversized vehicle
– a vehicle being used by a driver trainer to give driver training or a specially constructed vehicle
(including a tractor and motorcycle)
– a class RE licence holder in their first year of riding
• The risk of involvement in a crash where there is a casualty increases rapidly with increasing BAC levels 1 .
• Almost one in every four drivers don’t know when it is legally safe to drive the day after drinking alcohol 2 .
42

Mate helping Mate
Neighbour helping Neighbour
People helping People
132 500 Fact Sheet
For emergency help in floods and storms
Need emergency help in floods and storms?
If you need the assistance of the State Emergency Service in
non-life threatening emergency situations during floods and
storms, you can:
• Call 132 500; or
• Lodge a request here: www.132500.qld.gov.au; Or
• Lodge a request on our 132 500 SES Assistance App available
for both Apple and Android devices.
SES volunteers help protect people and properties from storms
in QLD by:
• Educating people about how to protect their family and
property from floods and storms
• Temporarily repairing properties from further hail, heavy
rain or strong wind
• Clearing roads and property to give emergency access
• Rescuing people trapped or injured by flood or storm activity
• Providing emergency assistance in flood situations
??How can I help??
R Use a BUCKET to capture leaking water
R MOVE furniture from under leaks
R Internally TARP furniture
R SANDBAG entry points to your
house/business
R HELP your neighbours
R HELP your family
Handy Hints
P SES volunteers carry
out temporary repairs in
emergency situations
P Property owners should
seek professional trades
people to permanently
repair any damage caused
by storms or floods
P It is the responsibility of
the landowner to remove the
debris from their property
Call
132 500
Australia
Wide!
If your emergency
is life threatening
call 000 (triple zero)
For more information, contact us as per below:
© State of Queensland (Queensland Fire and Emergency Services) 2016
All Queensland Fire and Emergency Services material in this document – except any material protected by a trademark, and
unless otherwise noted – is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence
www.ses.qld.gov.au
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