Weaving through Sydney traffic every day to respond to emergency callouts would sound stressful to most people. For Intensive Care Paramedic (ICP) Paul Smith of the Motorcycle Response Unit (MRU) there’s nothing better.
“It’s my comfort zone,” Paul said. “I love to ride. It’s the best way to travel. There’s always that sense of freedom.”
“When it comes to emergency responses, the bikes give us improved response times and better access. We can get into the pedestrian zones in Darling Harbour, the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Pitt Street Mall, even the platforms at Central.
“And when we arrive, we're just like an ICP car with our own bespoke kits. When we back up an ambulance, we give that ambulance ICP capability. The MRU kits include serious yet portable equipment like a Zoll X defibrillator, an EZ-IO intraosseous infusion device, and video laryngoscopes if intubation is required. We respond to everything and anything,” Paul explained.
“Mostly within the Sydney metropolitan area in the CBD, inner east and inner west. Every now and then we have jobs as far away as the Blue Mountains or the Central Coast. We do a fair bit of mopping up low acuity jobs, with around a third of responses resulting in non-transports.”
When transport to hospital is required, Paul sometimes needs to make it clear to the patient that they're not actually riding with him.
“I tell them - you’re going to hospital in the back of an ambulance, mate!” Paul said.
As well as regular responses on road, MRU members are involved in NSW Ambulance event and ceremonial work. For Paul, the Sydney Olympics in 2000 were a stand-out.
“We were involved up close at so many events – it was incredible.”
More recently, the MRU was engaged in last September’s UCI World Road Cycling Championships in Wollongong.
On a more sombre note, MRU members often form part of a guard of honour at funerals for serving and
retired NSW Ambulance staff.
The thrill, challenge and variety of work has kept Paul doing the same job for almost 26 years, since November 1997. As it happens, vacancies in the MRU are few and far between. For any budding future recruits, it's a challenging pathway.
“We undergo the same training as NSW Police Highway Patrol motorcyclists at Goulburn Police Academy,” Paul explained. “As well as having ICP-level clinical skills, we work to the most exacting skill and safety standards.”
Then there’s the bike – a Yamaha FJR 1300.
“A superb machine. Well-engineered. Big enough to give you a real presence on the road.”
For Paul Smith, it’s his office – and the ride of his life.
“I’ve never taken any other role on road – all these years. I just love what I do.”