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Rob Dummermuth  Throughout non-metro Australia, the community relies on the service and dedication of volunteers who routinely risk their lives as emergency service volunteers. Why do they do it?
Unpack the issues...
“... routinely risk their lives as emergency service volunteers.” Wow! Dramatic! That sounds more like stupidity than courage. The first commandment of any emergency response is never put yourself or any other volunteer at risk. An injured volunteer is worse than useless; not only are they no help to the primary victim, they use up resources in a secondary rescue. In fact, volunteers who risk their lives are discouraged. The safest place to be in an emergency is as a member of an emergency response group. The training and the equipment are designed so that volunteers can operate with minimal risk, and are thus better able to work in adverse and emergency situations. So does that mean volunteers lack courage? What motivates volunteer workers? Why do we do it? “Playing with the toys. Where else could I get to skipper a boat like that,” said a Marine Rescue volunteer. “I want someone to be around when I get stuck,” said a State Emergency Service volunteer. “They’re a great bunch and I like working with them.” This from a member of a Bush Fire Service. Does "courage" come into it at all? In an emergency there are three categories of people involved. The victims, onlookers, and responders. Victims are the given, without them there is no emergency. Sometimes it is misplaced or misjudged courage that puts them there. Sometimes it is sheer stupidity. Most often it is unforseen or unpredictable events that take people beyond their ability, experience or equipment. Onlookers (also known as tourists/terrorists) are also victims of the disaster. By their inability to take action, they are controlled by the events and may become victims. Or worse, by their disinterest, display an ethic that is less than human. Emergency Service Responders refuse to let circumstances control or define them. Despite events they have compassion, interest in people and community, an ethic of what is human and humane that, for them, demands a response. That is the courage of an emergency service volunteer. It is not so much an adrenalin rush that puts life at risk as a deep personal commitment. Similar to the courage displayed by someone diagnosed with a terminal illness determined to live life to the fullest. It is the courage that says, “We (the volunteer and humanity in general) are bigger than what goes wrong.” That sounds almost religious, the courage of faith, hope and love. And in a sense it is, or conversely, it is simply “life in all its fullness".
Rev Rob Dummermuth has been an emergency services volunteer since 1962. He is based in Esperence in the far south of WA and is patrol minister for Frontier Services West Nullabor Patrol.
Unpack the issues...Discussion points - What makes someone a hero?
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