Tuesday’s shift started off tensely for Illawarra triple-0 call-taker Rachel Avnell, with two life-threatening emergencies in her first five calls.
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The calls continued thick and fast at the Barrack Heights call centre throughout the morning – in fact NSW Ambulance receives a call for assistance every 28 seconds at its four centres statewide.
Callers are anxious, often distressed and sometimes abusive.
So the arrival that afternoon of an affectionate labrador retriever named Gracie was a welcome relief for the six call-takers working through their 12-hour shifts.
The nine-year-old therapy dog knows her stuff – giving call-takers, dispatchers and supervisors equal attention, and bypassing those busy on calls.
It’s a new initiative for NSW Ambulance, and the first time a Paws Pet Therapy dog has been to the Illawarra centre, though it’s set to become a regular occurrence.
“It’s a nice idea,” Ms Avnell said, inbetween cuddles, “it’s comforting and really good therapy.”
Fellow call-taker Trudy Querin has been on the job for four years – and it took some getting used to.
“You get your standard calls, such as people with chest or back pain, but you never know when you’re going to get a call that’s traumatic like a car accident or a stabbing,” she said.
“We get a lot of training and support but it took me several months until I stopped getting that gut-wrenching feeling during calls like that.
“It hits home when there’s children involved – especially when they’re around the same age as my own kids.
“But after a while you go into work mode, and you have the confidence in your own ability in giving directions to the caller and getting them the help they need.”
Not a week goes by without abuse from a caller, Ms Querin said, but she’s developed a thick skin: “Friday and Saturday nights can be tough, dealing with intoxicated or drug-affected people. But we know when people are calling us, they’re usually facing a really stressful situation.”
The visit by Gracie on Tuesday added some welcome relief. “It’s lovely – it really breaks the day up.”
Gracie’s owner, Ernie Davitt, a volunteer with Paws Pet Therapy, said therapy dogs could reduce anxiety and improve well-being.
“Gracie is a special girl and just loves people,” he said. “She’s very discerning too – she’ll walk into a room and know who needs her, who’s feeling a bit down or stressed out, and she’ll go to them.”