If you would like an
application form and information pack, please call 1800 655 306 or email
volunteer.enquiries@saambulance.com.au. Please provide your name, postal
address, phone number, and the station you would like to volunteer at so we
can send you the information you need.
The application process includes completing an application form, attending an interview and medical assessment, and having a police check.
The information pack we send you has more information about the application process. You could also talk to a volunteer ambulance officer or team leader in your town.
You may be able to. While there aren’t any volunteer ambulance stations in
metropolitan Adelaide, some volunteer stations close to suburban areas will
take people who commit to travelling there to volunteer.
So, if you are very dedicated and prepared to travel, you may be able to volunteer even if you live in metropolitan Adelaide.
If this sounds like something you want to do, contact us for information about which volunteer stations have sleepover facilities.
The map provided on our website shows where volunteer stations are located. Just check it to find out where your nearest volunteer station is.
No, being a volunteer ambulance officer does not increase your chance of getting a job as a paramedic. All paramedic applicants must meet the criteria to be offered a job, regardless of whether they have volunteered with SAAS. Click here for more information about becoming a paramedic.
As a volunteer recruit, you need to complete a minimum of 140 contact hours of training, generally over 12 to 18 months. This may include training sessions away from your home station (an allowance of 62c/km is payable by SAAS if you have to use your own car), and a weekly two-hour training night at your station.
In addition, you will need to help fill your station's ambulance roster. Roster needs vary between stations, but generally you would need to be on-call for at least one shift a week. (Shifts can vary in length but usually go for 12 hours.) This means you carry a pager during your shift and may be contacted to respond to an ambulance case. Basically, you just get on with life, and if the pager goes off you respond as required.
During the early stages of your training, the more exposure on the roster you can get the better it will be for you. Some people even do two or three shifts a week to gain as much experience as they can. It really is up to you. Every little bit helps.
Yes, you can still be a volunteer ambulance officer if you are already a
CFS volunteer, provided you can regularly attend training and any other
requirements of being a SAAS volunteer.
If you were rostered as a volunteer ambulance officer and the CFS required you at the same time, you would need to remain available for SAAS or arrange for someone to cover your ambulance shift.
Yes. However, you will need a visa that allows you to do voluntary work. For further information, phone the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs on 131 881.
No, you do not need to pay to study this course. SAAS provides the
training to you free of charge, including your study materials.
No, to be a volunteer ambulance officer you must have an unrestricted South Australian driver’s licence. If you do not have a driver’s licence, or only have a provisional licence, you may like to consider volunteering in some other way. See below.
Yes, SAAS has several hundred volunteers who don’t work on an ambulance.
They support their local ambulance service by doing office or
administrative duties, being on a branch committee, gardening, or washing
the ambulance.
No. The Certificate IV in Basic Emergency Care includes a significant
amount of hands-on training, which cannot be done externally. Also, we
only offer the course for people who are training to volunteer with SA
Ambulance Service.
Yes, you can apply. You
do not need any medical experience or training to become a volunteer
ambulance officer. We provide all the training you need, once you have
passed the application process.
You can call 1800 655 306 or email
volunteer.enquiries@saambulance.com.au for more information about
what it's like to be a volunteer ambulance officer. Also, many
ambulance stations run information sessions in the evening when they
are looking for volunteers. These sessions give you the opportunity to
ask questions of current volunteers and other SAAS staff about
volunteering. You could also talk to a volunteer ambulance officer or
team leader in your town.
You must have an unrestricted South Australian driver’s licence to
apply to become a volunteer ambulance officer. You need to be at least
19 years of age in South Australia to hold such a licence.
Yes, you can be a volunteer ambulance officer and work full-time, as
long as you have time to do the training and be on the roster as
needed by your station. Many of our volunteers have full-time
employment in another field. Training is generally conducted on
weekends or evenings to fit in with people who are working during the
daytime.
Yes, if your qualifications are from an accredited training provider
and meet the Australian Quality Training Framework standards. However,
even if we recognise your qualifications, you will still need to do
some training that is specific to SAAS. This may involve training to
use our equipment to make sure you can work safely with it.
You can apply to become a volunteer ambulance officer at any time.
Although training courses are generally scheduled once a year in your
area, we can make arrangements for you to begin your training earlier
if that suits you.
Possibly. A person with a medical condition can apply to become a
volunteer ambulance officer, but it will be up to your doctor and our
medical assessor to decide if you are fit for volunteer ambulance
duties.
For safety reasons, SAAS ensures applicants meet the same medical standards required to hold a commercial driver’s licence. People with certain medical conditions, such as epilepsy or diabetes, may not meet this standard, and thus may not be able to become a volunteer ambulance officer.
Yes. SAAS makes every effort to recognise prior learning and current competencies, and we can customise a volunteer training program to your needs. However, even if we recognise your qualifications, you will still need to do some training that is specific to SAAS. This may involve training to use our equipment to make sure you can work safely with it.
For more information about recognition of prior learning, email our Ambulance Education Unit.