Many would think of it as a horrible job to have, but throughout his more than 40-year career, Tony has found the positives in the job and has maintained the perspective that it is one of the most rewarding careers. 

On Friday, the beloved paramedic stepped outside of the Bathurst Ambulance Station for the final time, looking back on his career with fondness.

The decision for the 60-year-old can’t be tied to one single reason, but rather a number of things that all indicated it was simply just “the right time”. 

“I’ve been here for over 40 years, I just turned 60, we’ve had a five-year plan where we sort of worked out what we were going to do and I thought that if I finished at 60 then I’m still on the top of my game, I’m still with it enough so I’m not being a burnt-out ambo,” he said.

“And I’ve got three children, six beautiful grandchildren, I’ve got a loving wife that has put up with me for 38 years and it’s their time.” 

Tony had an interesting start to his career in emergency services, initially applying to be a police officer. 

When it came time to be measured for the force, he was found to be half an inch shorter than the required five foot eight inches to be a police officer. 

Walking away from the police station, an observant superintendent out the front of Bathurst Ambulance Station noticed his demeanor and said “You don’t look happy, young fella”. 

Tony explained he was too short for the police force and, after giving his height, the superintendent noted he wasn’t too short for the ambulance service.

“And the rest is history,” he said.

“I put in for the ambulance service, that was in May ‘78, then I went to Condobolin for 18 months and got back to Bathurst in October ‘79 and then I’ve been here ever since.”

Across his career, Tony has had a number of amazing experiences helping people in the community.

Sitting high on the list is the opportunity to deliver babies in emergency situations.

Tony has delivered 13 babies and said each time it has been like “a duck on the water”: calm on the surface, but a frenzied approach hidden in the water. 

“The downside in our job is we see a lot of people take their last breath and it’s quite rewarding to see someone take their first,” he said. 

In what can often be a very thankless job, Tony has also appreciated those moments where he has received gratitude from patients after he has provided medical care. 

“It’s been a privilege for me to care for and look after the public of Bathurst,” he said.

Of course, the tough part of the job will always be those times where you come across a horrible scene and there is just nothing you can do. 

Losing a patient is never easy, but Tony has been able to draw comfort from several places over the years.

He said his wife has always been able to tell whether a shift has been good or bad and knows just how to help him through. 

“I’m very lucky. I’ve been married for 38 years and I’m very lucky – Christine reads me like a book,” he said. 

The other source of comfort has been Tony’s colleagues, who know first-hand what it is like to be confronted by tragedy at work. 

Tony has been a peer support officer within the ambulance service for 20 years and knows how important it is to get help. 

After developing such a close bond with his fellow paramedics, it’s tough to say goodbye, but he knows they will always be there for him in good times and bad.

He said, “I was talking to one officier and I said ‘One thing I know, after I retire, if I’m sick and you turn up, I’ll be very relieved, because I know I’ll be very well looked after.”