Road crash responders’ heavy burden from Tasmania’s fatals

Fire chief John Ashlin goes into ‘shut-off mode’ when he attends a road crash. But he knows there are scenes which will come back to haunt him. His story >>

Triabunna TFS volunteers, Brigade Chief John Ashlin and Community Engagement Officer Clare Sullivan. Picture: Chris Kidd

AS a first responder living in a small community, fire chief John Ashlin knows that whenever he is called out to a major crash, there’s a good chance he might know the victims.

He also knows that one day the confronting scenes he responds to will come back to haunt him.

Mr Ashlin is the last remaining original member of volunteer firefighters at the Triabunna Brigade since 1995. He joined to help the community and is part of the crew that first responds to a crash.

Because the 58-year-old volunteers in a small community, he has attended incidents where it has been loved ones involved.

Brigade Chief John Ashlin. Picture: Chris Kidd

“We’ve been trained and worked as a ‘shut-off mode’, so basically we rock up, do our job and walk away from it,” Mr Ashlin said.

“All this stuff will build up and it only takes a minor incident that can bring back everything. At the end of the day, you shut off. It will affect me, I don’t know when.”

The Triabunna Fire Service gets called to about 25 road crash rescues a year, from anywhere between Little Swanport Bridge to the north and Runnymede Straight, further south. About five of those are for critical incidents.

“It’s such a small town, we get to know people – we’ve been to incidents where it’s been family involved,” Mr Ashlin said.

Survive the Drive road campaign

• ‘Love your kids’: Parents’ message after losing son in road crash
• Tassie dad, SES volunteer reveals the day that sticks with him the most
• R.I.P.: The Tasmanians lost on our roads in 2022

Volunteer Clare Sullivan has also witnessed the effects of major road trauma.

She joined the Triabunna crew in 2014 and has seen the effects that deaths on the road can have on the community, especially ones affecting young people.

“It literally sometimes can cut the heart out of a community,” the community engagement officer, 62, said.

She said the role could be very confronting, especially when you saw people you knew in an incident.

“It can be a member of the brigade, a neighbour, a member of the family, or someone who was like a member of the family,” Mrs Sullivan said.

Attending a crash scene is a high-intensity and confronting environment, one Mr Ashlin said they needed to work hard and safely.

Triabunna TFS volunteers, Brigade Chief John Ashlin and Community Engagement Officer Clare Sullivan. Picture: Chris Kidd

“What we’ve got is a golden hour, so in that golden hour, that person’s got to be in hospital, not out of the vehicle, not just sitting on the side of the road or anything,” she said.

Mr Ashlin said he was extremely grateful for the support he got from the Critical Incident Incident Stress Management following a road-crash rescue.

“They are the most important networks; our district officers are fantastic,” he said.

Volunteer crews give up a lot.

Mrs Sullivan said the most challenging part about the role was the balancing act between everyday life and volunteer work.

They try to make themselves available for every call they can manage, often leaving loved ones. “The pager’s there 365 days a year,” Mrs Sullivan said. “ It’s always by your side, your bedside stand, or even in my handbag at work. You do it, you come back and you step into another role.”

There are only five people qualified for road-crash response at Triabunna, with another five looking at training.

Mr Ashlin said they hoped to expand the service.

“We are very much open for anyone to come and join,” he said.