Emergency responder honoured

BACCHUS Marsh’s Wayne Barnes has been awarded an Emergency Services Medal in the King’s Birthday Honours for his distinguished service with the Victoria State Emergency Service.

Mr Barnes has been a volunteer with the Bacchus Marsh Unit since 2001 as an emergency responder and crew leader.

He is experienced in road crash rescue, storm and flood response, and search and rescue, and is a former intensive care paramedic with Ambulance Victoria.

“I professionally was a paramedic, so for 30 years I was employed either by Ambulance Victoria or in other training or education roles with some universities,” Mr Barnes said.

“Living here in Bacchus Marsh I realised that there’s a high reliance on volunteers so it was whatever I could do or contribute to upskilling the capabilities of volunteers here.

“The unit was very keen to develop its road rescue capabilities, so it started competing in challenges, but it found itself at odds against other teams from elsewhere in Australia where they had professional paramedics as part of their team.”

Mr Barnes’ leadership was pivotal in response to the Exford bus crash in May 2023 where seven students were seriously injured.

He applied life-saving medical first aid including a tourniquet and showed composure.

“There are only probably a handful of jobs, I don’t know how many tens of thousands of cases I’ve been to, that would be one of a handful that obviously stretched us,” he said.

“In some ways you just throw the rule book away because of what you have to deal with and the situation.

“It required all knowledge and experience and problem solving.”

As a participant, member, and assessor with the Australasian Road Rescue Organisation, Mr Barnes provides expert guidance to crash rescue teams across Australasia.

“Fundamentally I like teaching,” he said.

“It’s not always done in a formal capacity as the official trainer but it’s just how you can influence people through your example, and at times, pointed instruction.”