Bland/Oakley Community Service Award

The Bland/Oakley Community Service Award has been established to commemorate all those ambulance paramedics who have died in the course of active duty. It will be presented once a year at the December graduation ceremony. All students who graduate in the calendar year (at either the May or December graduation ceremony) will be eligible for the December award.

The award is for the student ambulance paramedic that provides the highest level of community service (of any form) outside of the normal operational function of a student ambulance paramedic.

Nominations will be from the student’s peers. Any student/ambulance paramedic employed by Ambulance Victoria is eligible to nominate. Two nominators are required per nominee. Nominators must be prepared to be interviewed by the panel if required (this can take place by phone if distance is an issue).

The award will take the form of the following:

• An inscribed trophy; and
• All expenses paid attendance at an approved national conference relevant to the recipient’s community activities or a paramedical/medical conference such as the ACAP or Spark of Life conferences. (A degree of flexibility is anticipated depending upon the location and cost of the conference and may include the opportunity for one or two extra days for recreation, etc. at the discretion of the panel).

Nominations are, therefore, called for consideration for the award for 2009. Nominations are required to be submitted by no later than Friday 30th October 2009.