More than 200 Ambulance Victoria (AV) staff have swapped their uniforms for sports gear as they take on colleagues from across the state at this year’s Victoria Police and Emergency Services (VPES) Games.
The VPES Games began on Sunday 5 October and finish on Sunday 12 October, with events conducted throughout Melbourne and regional Victoria.
AV’s sporting stars are going for gold across 46 different sports, showcasing their broad skill sets and passions beyond helping those on the frontline.
Senior Team Manager Carmel Rogers is competing in the VPES Games for the fifth and is also an event coordinator for the equestrian competition.
“Without a doubt, the best part of competing in the games is the comradery and friendships that you build with other competitors,” Rogers said.
“There are people who I only get to catch up with once a year at the games, but the equestrian competition is like a huge group of friends who get to hang out with each for two days each year. That we get to do it while spending time with our horses is a definite bonus.
“It also provides the opportunity to spend time with people from other organisations and is a great chance to share experiences and build really special friendships.”
Advanced Life Support (ALS) paramedic Thomas Orchard is competing in handgun and practical handgun shooting events.
With 15 years of experience under his belt, Thomas said he finds the sport to be a challenging hobby that’s great for clearing his head.
“It requires a great deal of focus and hand-eye coordination and is very fast paced,” Thomas said.
“I really enjoy that the competition is mostly with myself as it’s about improving my accuracy and speed each time.”
For more information: https://www.emergencyservicesgames.org.au/
