Five well-regarded Ambulance Victoria (AV) personnel have been awarded Ambulance Service Medal (ASM) recipients in this year’s national honours, including Paynesville’s Alan Wilkins.
The ASM recognises distinguished service by members of Australian ambulance services and is awarded to a select group of outstanding ambulance personnel, as nominated by their peers, each year.
The Australian Honours List acknowledges Australians for their incredible achievements, service and contribution to their communities.
Alan joined AV in 2006 as an inaugural member of the Paynesville Ambulance Team and continues to contribute to his community as an Ambulance Community Officer (ACO).
Alan has made great efforts to contribute to health and emergency education within the Paynesville community through his work as an ACO and a volunteer with the local ambulance auxiliary.
He has helped so many people learn and understand life-saving skills as an educator of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) across a range of community groups. He was instrumental in securing 20 AEDs for the Paynesville community, which is a commendable effort.
Alan provided influential advice and guidance to the isolated Raymond Island community to ensure it had a 24/7 accessible AED in a public location, and within a month this AED was used to successfully defibrillate a patient.
Other winners were: Lindsay Bent – Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) Paramedic; Barry Curtain – Team Manager; Lindsay Mackay – Operational Communications; Ian Walsh – Ambulance Community Officer (ACO).
