Kevin Shuck International Comparative EMS Professor Becker 5 October 2014 Australia EMS Australia’s EMS system started with the creation of the Vienna Voluntary Rescue Society in the 1970’s. Then years later in 1983 the Austrian Society for Emergency and Disaster was created to begin the task of educating and training those working in the emergency medical system (Tintinalli). Four years later the Austrian Medical Association developed criteria for the training of emergency physicians, this criteria became law in 1998. Today Australia operates using the Anglo American model of EMS, with statutory services and volunteer groups. St. John Ambulance is responsible for emergency care in western and northern Australia. However they are used all throughout Australia and have a history dating back to the 1880’s. Like many new EMS agencies we have learned about in this class, they started off as trainers, and educators of first aid. Today St. John is the leading supplier of first aid services and training in Australia (St. John Ambulance ). For their EMS care they have over 3,500 paid and volunteer providers. In the other areas of Australia St. John Ambulance is limited to first aid instruction, event support and disaster relief as needed. …show more content…
They respond to all types of calls from falls, to chest pain, and even car accidents. Operations are funded by donations from the community (Chevra Hatzolah ). They currently only have 26 volunteer responders who are trained in a first responders program that includes semi automatic defibrillation, and oxygen therapy. There is even some responders that are trained in medication administration (Chevra Hatzolah ). One of their services goals is to provide interpretation to and from patients who do not speak English in their