CFA captains Andrew Collins and Michael Licciardo went above and beyond their duties this week when they lent a hand to not only the Queensland fireys but also a member of the public in need.
The duo left Victoria on Monday to transport fire trucks to Queensland to assist with the ongoing blazes. On their way home they missed their flight to help a fellow passenger.
“I was enjoying a coffee and a croissant in the Qantas lounge while we were waiting, and I saw a lady running past screaming out for first-aid, but when she came back, she didn’t have anyone in tow,” Inverleigh Captain Andrew Collins said.
“I asked her if everything was all right, and she said there was a man having a seizure around the corner.
“You just do what you have to do, and being someone with first-aid training, I followed her. The man was already sitting up, but he wasn’t looking very well at all.
“We just started doing the usual checks, but he was sweating from head to toe and was very hot. We knew that there was something obviously not quite right.”
Another member of the strike team, Mornington Captain Michael Licciardo, joined Andrew as they both took charge of the situation and looked after the man.
“We got the Qantas lounge employees to call ambulances for us and we continued monitoring and checking him over until they got there.” Andrew said.
“He thought he was well enough to jump on his plane home to Sydney, but he was definitely not in a good shape to travel, especially being up in the air.”
Having spent 40 minutes alongside the elderly man meant Andrew and Michael missed their flight home with their crew, but that was the least of their worries.
“We had two strike teams of people booked to come home on the flight, and buses waiting for us in Melbourne,” Andrew said.
“We just sent them on, it wasn’t even a concern. Our concern was this member of the public who wasn’t well.
“Time flies, and suddenly our flight was boarding and leaving. The Qantas people were fantastic and said they’d get our bags and transfer us onto the next flight.”
Little did they know at the time that they would be rewarded and upgraded by the Qantas team and welcomed into business class as they jumped on the next flight out of Brisbane.
While it is a natural instinct for Andrew and Michael to pay it forward, the Qantas team was extremely appreciative of the prompt and professional response from all CFA members involved. CFA hopes the man is safe and well and Andrew and Michael wish him all the best in his recovery.
Strike teams in the Brisbane Qantas lounge-
-
-
-