Friday - As dull as a Barrel of Smashed Crabs, with the best one's taken out

Friday

I am going to have to invest in an alarm clock. I didn’t manage to wake up until 7, and that was only when Jane rang me to say Good Morning/Goodnight. Oh well, we live and learn.

No time for any coffee on the way to work. We’ll be getting loads anyway through the day (So I thought). Bleary eyed I walked in, by the skin of my teeth. I hope that they don’t think that I’m going to make a habit of this.

The first session was filling in various forms needed for work. The session was taken straight from the course for the very new intake’s, who have never filled in Ambulance paperwork before. In my half asleep state I remember being pointed out the box for ‘Date’ and the Power Point Presentation instruction us to write in the box “Today’s Date”... and so it progressed. As you imagine, no breakfast, nothing to drink, I was very happily taking this in my stride (I don’t think).

Anyway – “Have a stretch – but don’t be long” Oh now... The only day I was hoping for it there wasn’t a coffee break 45 minutes into the first session. Anyway – we pressed on with more presentations. Major Incident Management Systems (MIMS) is an important subject I am sure (actually I do understand the reasons behind the instruction, being in a couple Major Incidents in Sussex), but it is about as interesting as a barrel of smashed crabs, with the best bits taken out. (New Aussie saying I’ve picked up). Boy did it drag.

Interspersed in the day was also a session on radios (not the music ones), and the set up of the Ambo (more Aussie Slang – ambulance – maybe I’ll include some of the Aussie Medical Slang later for you) Radio system “We have 9 different towers that will transmit information and voice to you in your mobile (That is an ambulance radio) and it is a voting system, and I am a electronics techy who has no people skills, and want to tell you things you don’t need to know, and blah, and blah, and blah....” No wonder he mended radios.

After radios more MIMS. Still no proper break. Lunch was a rushed affair – and I had some admin to take care of with HR, so I managed a drink (coffee finally hurray) and a packet of crisps. (Maybe I’ll get something more substantial on the way home.) Lunch was followed by more (ARRGGGHHHH) MIMS. Quick break (called back to the HR office to clear up some clerical misunderstanding) which was only 5 minutes again. Then we had a MIMS exercise and discussion. Then the end. “Excellent” I thought – POETS Day, and we are done. (P**s Off Early Tomorrow is Saturday), but oh no, another session of something completely different. It was the longest day we’ve had (I suppose I can’t complain, as we still only worked from 0830 until 1600).