THIS past week marked the 30th anniversary of serving the NSW public as paramedics for Peter Patterson and David McAllan.
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The two officially joined the service on May 23 1987, albeit for very different reasons.
By his own admission, Mr Patterson told The Namoi Valley Independent he joined the service for practical reasons.
“To put it simply I needed a job,” Mr Patterson said.
“I was looking for work and I thought this might be something I’d like to have a go at and here we are 30 years later.”
Mr McAllan on the other hand said becoming a paramedic was the realisation of a long-term dream of his.
“I’d always wanted to be a paramedic,” Mr McAllan said.
“I grew up in the city and as a kid it was pretty much all I ever wanted to do.”
Currently based in Nelsons Bay Mr McAllan is currently on a rostered location change in Gunnedah.
“Well Peter and I started together and with me being up here for six weeks it worked out well that we could mark this milestone together,” he said.
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Mr Patterson agreed that it was great to mark the occasion together.
“I’m originally from Barradine, so it was very much a case of a city boy and bush kid when the two of us first met,” he said.
“It’s good having him here and it has worked out really well that we are together to bring up 30 years.”
The Barradine native has called Gunnedah home for 25 of his 30 years as a paramedic.
“I moved here from Narromine where I was for three-years and then 12-months in Dubbo and moved to Gunnedah after that and decided to settle here,” he said.
"I love it here, it’s really a great community and a great place to raise a family.
“My family have been terrific for me and I can’t thank them enough for their support over the journey.”
Both men reflected on some of the lasting memories of the job, with Mr McAllan sharing his fondest memory.
“I actually helped my wife give birth to our daughter in the back of an ambulance,” he said.
“To make a long story short, my wife had been admitted to hospital while pregnant and not long after she had been released from hospital she went into labour and it all happened pretty quickly in the back of the ambulance.”
Mr Patterson recalled the first live he saved as a fond memory of his time in the job.
“I’d say the first time I helped bring someone back from cardiac arrest would probably be one of my strongest memories,” he said.
“Walking past the guy you’d helped bring virtually back to life is something that has really stuck with me.”
Both men said the variety of the job had been a major factor in their longevity.
“You never really know what to expect,” Mr Patterson said.
“There’s always something different and even when you think it’s going to be the same there is always going to be some slight difference.”
Mr McAllan encouraged any potential paramedics to give it a go.
“I think you have to be the right kind of person,” he said.
“It’s a pretty full on job and can be quite tough at times but I would encourage anyone thinking about doing it to give it a go.”
The long-time paramedic also credited his family for supporting his career.
“I really do have a great support network,” Mr McAllan said.
“My wife particularly is always there to listen to me which is great, I think it’s really important to be able to debrief with someone and she is just great like that.”
The two paramedics have also shared their milestone with fellow Manilla paramedics Lisa McKay and Scott Upward.