Corryong First Responders celebrated for outstanding efforts

Ambulance Victoria’s (AV) Corryong Ambulance Community Officer (ACO) team has been presented with the local shire ‘Community Group of the Year’ award for their unwavering commitment to delivering services in the local area.

The award acknowledged the team’s efforts in providing early interventions to local medical emergencies, as well as their work sharing health and safety messaging through community engagement events.

ACOs are AV first responders trained to provide advanced first aid in rural and remote communities where the ambulance caseload is low or the ambulance branch is not staffed by multiple paramedics on a full-time basis.

ACOs are employed on a casual basis to work ‘on call’ and can transport patients to hospital. They play a vital role in community healthcare, through supporting the crucial work of paramedics and boosting the capacity to respond quickly to emergencies.

AV Acting Corryong Team Manager Marita Harrison said it was rewarding to have the team’s efforts recognised on such a large scale.

“I am very proud to work alongside this great ACO team made up of dedicated and community-focused individuals who show up every day to help our local community,” she said.

“The whole team gives so much to the Corryong area, and I feel stoked to see them get the recognition they deserve.”

The award was presented at the weekend by the Towong Shire and Corryong Lions Club as part of their Australia Day presentation.

There are currently about 860 ACOs providing services to communities across rural and remote Victoria, including Corryong.

Information on becoming an ACO.

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