There will be fun for the whole family and an opportunity to connect with first responders and community services when Beaudesert Ambulance Station hosts its open day on July 18.
The free event will go from 10am to 2pm at the station at 62 Tina Street.
Facepainting will be a drawcard for younger children, and Beaudesert Community Kindergarten is coming on board this year to run activities.
There will also be involvement from local ambulance, police and firefighting personnel, Scenic Rim Regional Council’s Disaster Management team, Mununjali Housing, the RSL Sub Branch who do community patient transport, Wongaburra, local churches, Scenic Rim MP Jon Krause, a historic Beaudesert ambulance to look at, a display about field hospitals deployed during times of natural disasters and CPR competitions.
Mununjali Housing General Manager Brad Currie, who is a popular local singer, will provide entertainment and there will be a free barbecue, ice creams and cold drinks and a coffee van with drinks for purchase.
Beaudesert Ambulance Station Officer in Charge Mick Mahoney welcomed the involvement of the community kindy.
“They’ll have a mini hospital set up so it’s fun for the kids, they can get their face painted, maybe they’ll put a bandage on their arm and it’s absolutely about trying to reassure kids it’s not something to be afraid of – we’re there to help,” he said.
He said it was also an opportunity for people new to the area to find out what is available.
Local Ambulance Committee Chairman Mark Hodgson said the annual event was about connection in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere.
“We noticed last year a lot of children coming in and it’s great for them to see the ambulance and all the rest of it but it’s also good to give them their own activities,” he said.
“The day is to give a face to our first responders, because unfortunately quite often the only time people get to meet these people is when it’s an emergency and they’re facing the worst day of their life.
“There are so many services available the community aren’t aware of, and there have been so many changes especially to home care – there’ll be representatives from Wongaburra and Mununjali to explain what’s available, what changes have been made and make it easy for them when they might have to access these services down the track.”
