REPRESENTATIVES of Local Ambulance Committees from throughout Queensland took prominence in the Burdekin as the Ayr and Home Hill Local Ambulance Committees (LAC) hosted the annual State LAC Conference in the two towns on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 11, 12 and 13.
Following a Welcome in Ayr on Friday night, the Burdekin Memorial Hall was the venue for the Conference, with a large crowd of delegates present, including the State Ambulance Commissioner.
Local residents would have been certain of what the event was being held at the Burdekin Memorial Hall, as prominently displayed in front of the complex was an old Ambulance vehicle from the Charters Towers district, a motor Bike ambulance, which many locals would not even have known existed and the new 4WD Ambulance that has been added to the Ayr Station’s vehicles.
Secretary of the Ayr LAC, Merelyn McIntosh described the weekend as being “very successful, as a lot of information on health and the Queensland Ambulance Service was discussed”.
She said the event was very educational for everyone, “as it was focused on Rural and Remote, as what we are up here in North Queensland”.
Mrs McIntosh said the benefit of the Conference showed that a small Committee can run a State Conference without the help of the larger committees.
She said the State Ambulance Commissioner, who attended the Conference, sent an email thanking the Local LAC Groups for holding the conference and commented on how well the conference was run.
Conference Chairman, John Furnell said the Ayr and Home Hill Local Ambulance Committees had run “an impressive State Conference, with many positive comments in regards to its organisation, topics of discussion, food and entertainment”.
He said it was a pleasure to be involved as Emcee for the event and to meet with the Ambulance Commissioner, Queensland Ambulance Service personnel, assistants, Members of Local and State Governments and, most importantly, the many wonderful volunteers from across the state.
The next LAC State Conference will be held in Bundaberg in two years time.