dimensionally challenged

Day- thingy

Yesterday was a biggy. Dave took me on a tour of the Murray Mallee. Headed south through Murray Bridge and down to Lake Albert and a look at the not so mighty River Murray. It used to be mighty- until NSW and Vicotria took all the water out for irrigation wrecking the economy of South Australia and messing up the ecology for good measure.
One feature of the area is the numerous ferries across the river- tho there is a bridge at Murray Bridge- surprise surprise. The ferries are run by the State and are free.
We drove back up to Pinaroo and went to their training session which followed the same format as the others- good pot luck meal and PAV! with debrief of conference and my increasingly slick talk on NZ.
During the day Dave spent a lot of time on the phone dealing with the Morgan team. They had gone out in the night to a chest pain that turned nasty. The crew did really well and the hospital reckons the patient will be walking out in a few days time. Dave rang them up to congratulate them, and the Paid crew that backed them up, and rang up various other people to make sure that everyone was aware of it and to start the ball rolling to get their efforts rewarded. it was interesting to be sitting in on all this.
After the end of the Pinaroo training we headed back to Dave's- getting in at gone midnight- 698 km today!

Day after thingy (thursday)

Back south again with the intention of ending up opposite Kangaroo island but it was not to be. A late start (I diddn't even wake up until 10) and as we approached Strath Albyn there was a call for pain relief from the Goolwa crew who were with a patient who had fallen off a ladder. Some confusion as to whether we were needed or whether the Doctor was going meant we spent some time driving in circles on the road but eventually it got sorted out.
After dealing to the patient Dave hopped in the truck and the spare volly drove his car up behind the ambulance.
Patient dealt to we kept going but didnt have time to go down to Kangaroo Island as Dave had to get up to Flinders Uni to train and assess his students there. These guys are either FARTs (Flinders Ambulance Response Team ) or more correctly VRRTs (Volunteer Regional Response Team). Degree students on the paramedic course who are being trained up to go on the ambulance as volunteers to cover crews who can't fill their roster.
Not quite such a long day- actually got back not too tired to write this! 2000km in 3 days!
Dave's been a great host and has made sure I have got to see the area and meet the teams, tomorrow I'm off to Morgan while Dave has a well deserved weekend off.