THE emergency services have been in the news more than ever with the recent bushfires, so it is appropriate that people learn more about their roles and how they operate.
This year the Make Smoking History Wagin Woolorama on March 6-7 will hold a combined display featuring the Royal Flying Doctor Service, the RAC helicopter, St John Ambulance and the local fire brigade.
Ideally, the display will increase people's knowledge and interest, ultimately leading to the recruitment of new volunteers.
Woolorama organisers are hoping the highlight of the display will be an emergency helicopter parked on the ground but the decision is likely to come at the last minute, pending normal operations.
St John southern Wheatbelt regional sub centre co-ordinator Claire Dadd has finalised her organisation's display.
Every year St John attends Woolorama as part of its normal service but this year the group will have a display, competitions for adults and activities for children and there are some good reasons to stop by the stand.
It will run a CPR competition, sell first-aid kits and replacement items and discounted first-aid courses.
Two paramedics will be visiting and will be available to chat to visitors.
They will also be promoting the First Responder app that allows qualified first aiders to sign up and become a registered first responder.
The phone app alerts signed-up people if an emergency happens near them giving them the opportunity to assist until an ambulance arrives.
The free app serves as a defibrillator locator and also shows where the nearest medical centre and emergency department is, as well as containing a first-aid guide and other service information.
They also plan to put on show a big ambulance, appropriately called Bertha, that has four stretchers, as well as the Wagin sub centre's small ambulance for people to get a close guided look.
Ms Dadd said being an ambulance driver was not all lights and sirens and there was still a role for drivers who didn't want to attend accidents or horrific events.
She said as populations aged and some towns became bigger, services for smaller towns were reducing and the ambulance was often busy carrying out non-urgent patient transfers during the day.
"We are looking for volunteers who can fit in between nine and three but if you are at work and can't be released, there are other times you can fit in," Ms Dadd said.
"St John recognises the traditional volunteer is a semi-retired person who can spare a three-hour block of time and for this reason the roster is far more flexible than in the past.
"Once all volunteers were trained to the same high level but now there are three grades of volunteers.
"An emergency medical responder is virtually a driver with CPR knowledge and knows ambulance layout so a little bit of training is required.
"Then there is an emergency medical assistant and an emergency medical technician."
Woolorama president and 2018 Wagin Citizen of the Year Howie Ward has been a St John Ambulance volunteer for 10 years and said more than half of his work was non-urgent medical transfers and that would be typical of towns around the Upper Great Southern because they all fed into the Narrogin Regional Hospital.
"Being a St John volunteer does not require training to the highest level - not everyone has that amount of time to spare, but it is an option for some," Mr Ward said.
"Once you get into it you can be as involved as much as you like."
Ms Dadd said people may wish to volunteer at the highest level but if they are content to offer their services purely as a driver or serve at a basic level they would be welcome at most St John's centres.
