South West Brisbane
Our cadet group started on the 4th of May, 2005. We currently have 5 Assistant Leaders, 1 Cadet Instructor, 9 female and 14 male Cadets. We train on Wednesday nights 7:00pm – 9:00pm during the school term, plus some weekends, in Rudyard Street, Ellen Grove.
We have a great team consisting of a Local Cadet Co-ordinator, two Deputy Cadet Coordinators, and 16 more Adult Members who support us during the year. Two of our current adult members started the program as Cadets. One has also obtained her GOLD Duke of Edinburgh Award by attending the Emergency Services Cadets and the other has become one of our Deputy Cadet Co-ordinators, both are very dedicated members of the community. In addition, both our Local Cadet Coordinator and one of our Cadet Instructors also received an Australia Day Award in January for their dedication to the Emergency Services Cadet Program.
Our cadets have trained in casualty handling and completed last year with a major scenario called Shockwave. This event was organised by one of our Cadet Instructors and assisted by the Queensland Fire & Rescue Service (QFRS), the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS), the Queensland Police Service (QPS), as well as the State Emergency Service (SES) who were our walking wounded. Cadets were required to provide first aid to the SES and our dead consisted of a dummy having to be taken out on a stretcher. All of the services involved made this a very realistic scenario and assisted our Cadets in relating their training to real life experiences.
Cadets have also assisted in many community activities including fundraising, attending various community events, and performing community work such as gardening.
Some other activities that our Cadets have participated in include excursions to the EMQ Helicopter at Archerfield and our local QAS and QFRS station. This was very interesting and lead to a Career Night so that Cadets could understand what was required of each chosen career. Present were representatives from QFRS, QAS, SES, EMQ, Navy and the Queensland Police.
Cadets have trained in navigation and maps, contours, safety, communication, how to talk on a radio, knots, different styles of stretchers, lifting procedures, generators and lighting, winching and hauling, mentoring, leadership, rescue procedures, natural disasters and much more. The older cadets were privileged enough to go to a camp at Bribie Island were they interacted with all emergency services. During our camp this year cadets will have the opportunity to obtain a Land Search Certificate which will be nationally recognised.
Our cadets are also given the opportunity to give their input into the program and they are listened to not only within our group but at a Regional Forum. All cadets have the opportunity to obtain Statement of Attainments during their training as well as enlist for the Duke of Edinburgh Awards.
If you are interested in being a cadet in our group please contact the Youth Development Officer in your region.
Last updated 21 July 2009