Turns out it is the rostering department, asking if I were able to pop over to one of the depots to fill in for someone who has booked off sick. "Yep, no problems, be there as soon as possible!". Shower, iron uniform, hop in car, drive to UsualDepot to pick up necessary accessories (epaulettes, name badge, belt, hi-vis vest etc...) and on to OvertimeDepot. It is a beautiful sunny winters day, the traffic is not too bad, so I get to work in good time. I arrive, say hi to my paramedic, he's checked the truck and got everything ready. I do my few re-checks (to be sure, to be sure), and off we go to a transfer that comms have been holding for us: 90+ year young lady, to hospital for some further treatment. Bright old spark, and being admitted to a hospital with mag-bloody-nificent views of the water. She'll enjoy her stay!
On the day went with another transfer and a minor job, In between we saw the RAC Rescue Helicopter (a.k.a. "The Chopper") land outside of hospital. Cool.
Then we took a Neo Natal Transfer job from another crew that had been closer to an emergency call. You see, transfers are usually put down as 'non urgent' (understandably). If you are heading somewhere on a non-urgent call, and an emergency pops up in your vicinity, you get diverted to the higher prioritized call, and another crew will take over your not as urgent call (or if it is really not that urgent and noone else is around, you do the high priority one, and then get back to your old non-urgent call!).
Then we took a Neo Natal Transfer job from another crew that had been closer to an emergency call. You see, transfers are usually put down as 'non urgent' (understandably). If you are heading somewhere on a non-urgent call, and an emergency pops up in your vicinity, you get diverted to the higher prioritized call, and another crew will take over your not as urgent call (or if it is really not that urgent and noone else is around, you do the high priority one, and then get back to your old non-urgent call!).
Neonatal Transfers are interesting. You head over to the Kiddies Hospital, grab a neonatal retrieval cot, and stick it in your ambulance. Don't forget to grab the NETS Team, the Newborn Emergency Transport Service (a good bunch, they are always happy to teach you one or two things along the way). Fully loaded, you go to wherever the sick child is, drop the team off with their cot, wait around for them to do their magic, and then collect the tam, cot and baby to return to the Kiddie Hospital for further treatment. An easy job, as all medical stuff is done by the NETS doc and nurse. All their gear leaves no space for us in the back, so generally the attendant sits in the front too...and that also makes our paperwork much more easier. Plus, these children are usually not on the healthy side - so although the transfer has a low priority, you are contributing much more to the health system by doing these jobs. Better than picking up drunks from the side of the pavement!
And to finish this post off, a bit of a NEE NER stick-tongue-out-at-you moment: All overtime is double time. Plus a bit extra because they called me in the morning on such a short notice. While the money clock was ticking away at double speed, I managed to clean my car, read the paper, do a few transfers, sit down and grab some lunch and generally have a real easy day. This job just gets better and better!
