40 years on the road for Beaufort
March 7, 2025in Community News
Just over 40 years ago, Phillip Lewis decided to join his dad and sign up as an Ambulance Community Officer (ACO) in their hometown of Beaufort.
“I love helping people,” Phillip said.
“As an ACO in a small community, quite often you arrive at an address and you know the person you’re treating, which can be a good and bad thing.
Phillip Lewis.
“At that time, the ACOs responded to essentially all emergency cases in the local community and provided patient care and transport.”
Phillip had been inspired to become an ACO after helping out with community fundraising for the local ambulance branch as a child.
“In the 1970s, I worked alongside my dad and the community to purchase Beaufort’s first ambulance and equipment,” Phillip said.
“It created a great community spirit and I realised I enjoy working with like-minded people to help the community.”
Most of Phillip’s best memories since becoming an ACO in March 1984 involve working alongside his dad, including when they attended a birth together.
“It was such a thrill to deliver a baby alongside my dad,” Phillip said.
“Not many fathers and sons get to work together, let alone something like that, so it was very memorable.
“I am extremely proud that together, my dad and I have given over 80 years of service to the Beaufort community.”
ACOs are First Responders employed by AV on a casual basis to work on-call in remote and rural communities.
They are trained in advanced first aid and emergency driving and volunteer their time to maintain their skills across their career.
“I’ve always enjoyed the learning component within the ACO program,” Phillip said.
“Particularly in the early years, I learnt a lot and had the opportunity to fill vacancies in Ballarat and work in busier locations.
“My ACO training has also allowed me to support one of the local football clubs as a trainer, as well as teach cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and basic first aid.”
In 2014, the Beaufort Ambulance Branch became an Advanced Life Support (ALS) paramedic supported branch, meaning the ACOs worked alongside a paramedic on their shifts.
The branch is now staffed by ALS and Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) paramedics, with ACOs helping to cover vacancies.
This change is not the only one Phillip has seen across his 40 years at AV.
“It is amazing how much ambulances themselves have changed,” he said.
“When I started, we had a four-stretcher ambulance, then it went to two and now there’s one stretcher in the modern ambulances.
“I actually recall a job many, many years ago when we had 11 patients in our ambulance!”
Phillip is now transitioning to retirement, where he will have more time to spend on other passions, such as playing golf and building Lego.
“There are too many people to thank individually, but I would like to mention my parents and everyone else who contributed to and supported my career,” he said.
“Thank you and signing off!”