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Twenty year milestone for Special Operations Paramedics

Afraid of dark, tight spaces, or dizzying heights? What about environments so dangerous that only high skilled specialists dare to enter? For the past two decades, the St John WA (SJWA) Special Operations Paramedics (PSOs) team has been confronting these challenges head-on. Established in 2004, the now team of 22 has been working hard with…
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Bounce down for Lights and Sirens round

Emergency services took centre stage at Optus Stadium on Saturday at the Fremantle Dockers’ Lights and Sirens Round.   St John WA (SJWA) celebrated the event for the second time this year, sharing the spotlight with fellow heroes from WA Police and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services.  The game provided an opportunity to…
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Swift action in Kambalda saves life after cardiac arrest

The fast response of St John Health Kambalda and SJWA on-road teams recently helped save the life of a patient presenting with chest pain. Their coordinated effort from reception through to paramedics illustrates the importance of timely intervention.  On March 10, Rick Bell arrived at St John Health Kambalda experiencing chest pain that had persisted…
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St John WA celebrates NAIDOC Week through sponsorship and cultural engagement

St John WA (SJWA) has proudly celebrated NAIDOC Week by sponsoring key Aboriginal conferences and delivering hands-on, culturally sensitive first aid engagement at community events. As part of an ongoing commitment to supporting Aboriginal-led initiatives and building stronger relationships with First Nations communities, SJWA sponsored three major events including the Aboriginal Health Council of WA’s…
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St John WA celebrates a decade of Community Transport Services 

This July marks a significant milestone for St John WA’s Community Transport Services (CTS) as they celebrate 10 years of supporting the community through accessible, reliable transport. The first recorded job took place in June 2015, with the service officially commencing July 2015.   From its beginnings, CTS has grown into a trusted and much-loved service thanks to the incredible people…
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A group of people in green uniforms stand in front of several ambulances inside a depot.

Celebrating mentorship and community this International Paramedics Day

This International Paramedics Day, St John WA (SJWA) celebrates the spirit of the unity and community theme by spotlighting our University and Industry Engagement Program. Led from our Belmont hub, the initiative connects paramedic mentors with students from Notre Dame and Edith Cowan Universities. Every day of the year, two dedicated mentoring ambulances are on…
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St John WA team member saves little girl from choking thanks to first aid course

A recent first aid course done by a St John WA team member has paid off, with a little girl saved from choking. Ashleigh Kretzmann was at her local shopping centre last week when she heard a woman crying out that her daughter was choking. The girl, who was about four years old, had been…
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NAIDOC Week Ball Dress Donation

NAIDOC Week: Next Generation gets celebrated in style

In the Spirit of NAIDOC Week – celebrating the next generation: strength, vision and legacy – St John WA team members and the Perth community have donated 10 large boxes of ball clothes to remote Aboriginal communities. Emergency Medical Technician Jade Maitland-Smith, from Dawesville, has been quietly distributing donated ball clothes over the past six…
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African hospitals benefit from St John WA stretcher donation

St John WA (SJWA) has donated 75 manual Ferno stretchers, worth more than $800,000, to African hospitals and medical clinics to be used for patient transfer or in ambulances. The stretchers will be distributed in Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda, as well as Cambodia in south-east Asia, as part of Rotary Australia World Community Service’s…
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A paramedic’s journey from cadet to clinical lead

The St John Academy has kicked off for the first time in nearly a decade, reimagining the previously run Cadet Program. Nick Overington started as a Cadet with Melville in 2011 and 14 years on, is now a dedicated and talented Paramedic working in the newly created Clinical Lead role with St John WA. The…
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St John WA 🚑

💚 Protecting WA’s health and wellbeing through first aid, emergency response and community care | RTO #0392

First Lights and Sirens round of the year DONE. Final score: Dockers 77, Hawthorn 64. See you next week when the Eagles take on Richmond!
Who's at the footy tonight? 🙋

Tonight's Dockers vs Hawks game is dedicated to WA's amazing emergency services and we couldn't be more proud to be there.

🐻 Meet our very own Kura bear
🚑 Join us for ambulance tours, CPR races and prizes with our Youth and Community Team
🩹 Grab some special goodies to help you through the match
💚 Watch our team in green making special appearances throughout the evening

Stop and say hi if you see us! 
@freodockers 
@wa_police 
@dfes_wa
What a week so far! 

We've been proudly celebrating NAIDOC Week by supporting Aboriginal-led conferences and delivering first aid training all around Perth in a yarning style. Led by our First Nations First Aid Yarning Crew and the Youth and Community Engagement team, we engage with Elders first and then bring first aid education to community members in culturally appropriate language and places from local parks to community sheds. 

Learn more about it all via the news link in our bio 🔗

Thanks to @meerilinga for some of the snaps!
Did you know it's International Paramedics Day? A day to honour, thank and recognise our incredible paramedics, all around the world.

St John WA paramedics are more than just a team, they're a community - lifting each other up so they can lift others. 

Whether that's through peer-led training, or mentoring the next generation, they are united in the passion and care they bring to the profession. 

No one else personifies that ‘thank god you’re here’ sense of relief like paramedics do 💚

#InternationalParamedicsDay #IPD2025 #UnityAndCommunity
Were you in Yagan Square last Thursday, on the coldest morning of the year? We were, and it was freezing. Luckily, we brought soup, warm socks, and something for the sniffles.

Catch us somewhere near you soon with another billboard. Sprains, strains, or sneeze-filled trains - we’re Here to Help. 

🩹 Learn about first aid and grab helpful supplies via the first aid links in our bio.
Our Albany team has made a very special delivery. 

St John WA paramedic Gerard Monks and volunteer ambulance officer Lisa Kelder arrived to the Gibellini household to find mum Jenna ready to give birth in the bathroom. Gorgeous baby James was born just 10 minutes later.

Mum and baby are doing well. Full story over on our website 💚
Katie and Brad live in paradise. 🏖️ 

They've called the idyllic town of Coral Bay home for the past two years and proudly volunteer with St John WA. With the busy tourist season now here, and new facilities available for volunteers visiting town, Katie and Brad would love you to join them and help keep Coral Bay safe. Volunteer with us today 💚
It's Thank a First Responder Day 💚❤️🩵

And while it's just one day, it's a reminder of the gratitude and support we have for our first responders every day. To our first responders here at St John WA, our First Responder network, and to the teams at @dfes_wa and @wa_police - thank you for being there for our communities and keeping us safe and well.
We're proud to share that former St John WA Clinical Support Paramedic Shane Toovey has been awarded an Ambulance Service Medal in the King's Birthday Honours for 2025. 

Congratulations, Shane. Thank you for your commitment, mentorship and bravery. Read more via the news link in our bio 🔗
New defibrillator for Narrogin ⚡

An organisation supporting First Nations communities across the Wheatbelt is the latest to receive life-saving equipment from St John WA. Keedac were presented with a new automated external defibrillator after our Dawesville Sub Centre donated the device. With only one in 10 people surviving out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, defibrillators are key to saving lives. Read more via the link in our bio.
We love a bloody good competition here at St John WA! @lifebloodau has launched its annual Emergency Services Blood Drive, where emergency services agencies compete to give the most blood donations. Can we top the Drive's donation tally for the eighth year running? 💪

Read more via the news link in our bio 🔗
What a day! 💚 

Our teams hit the Northern Goldfields last week where more than 100 young people gathered in Leonora for a hands-on day about health, hygiene, wellbeing and first aid. Thanks to all the community partners and sponsors who got involved with Warnkarunku Day 2025 🎉
“These two little girls wouldn’t have me unless you’d restarted my heart." 

Paul Jolly was just metres from the finish line of a fun run when his heart stopped. 

The 59-year-old dad collapsed during the final stretch of the race, suffering a cardiac arrest. But thanks to quick action from the St John WA Event Health Services Team, he survived. On Friday, Paul was reunited with the team. 

Read more via the news link in our bio.
Teamwork 🙌

You might recognise this as the iconic Bald Head Walk Trail in Albany. Despite being as prepared as possible, a woman from a hiking group had to be rescued after falling in tough terrain. This photo shows the tricky but rewarding rescue effort our Great Southern teams supported with alongside Albany, Denmark and Mount Barker Volunteer State Emergency Service and @waparkswildlife. Amazing work, everyone.

Photo credit: Albany SES
“Just get into it.” 💚

Meet Bree - nurse, mentor, Lancelin local and St John WA volunteer.

Her passion and dedication to the health and safety of the Lancelin community she calls home has won her WA Young Volunteer of the Year. We couldn’t be more proud to have her as part of the team.

We spoke to Bree to learn more about what her drives her and why getting into volunteering is the best thing you can do. Check it out via the news link in our bio 🔗 #NVW2025 #NationalVolunteerWeek @volunteeringwa
Meet Alana 🦈 

Originally from New Zealand, she’s devoted 30-40 hours per week to ensuring the community of Shark Bay is safe and well since 2016. This is on top of her job in the local fish factory. Now Sub Centre Chairperson, and 2024 Shire of Shark Bay Citizen of the Year, Alana would love to see more volunteers join the crew. Check out her story via the news link in our bio!

#NVW2025
“Brian epitomises compassion, leadership, knowledge and skills – he has the biggest heart. All he does is for everyone else.” 

Brian Gallop never intended to become a St John WA volunteer - but after helping out in the Goldfields back in 1998, he became hooked. He's now devoted nearly 30 years of service to emergency response, volunteer training, fundraising and community outreach all over Western Australia. 

This National Volunteer Week, meet WA's Volunteer of the Year via the link in our bio 💚
St John WA volunteers come from all walks of life but have one thing in common — their dedication to a safer Western Australia.
 
Thank you to all our volunteers, their friends and their families. You give up so much to make our communities happier, more resilient, and better prepared.
 
This National Volunteer Week, we’re giving it up for you.
 
If you’re not a volunteer but are interested in volunteering with St John WA, join us via the 'Volunteer' link in our bio 💚

#NVW2025 @volunteeringaustralia @volunteeringwa
We'd like to say a huge congratulations to our incredible volunteers Brian Gallop and Bree Del Borrello who took home 'Volunteer of the Year' and 'Young Volunteer of the Year' at the prestigious WA Volunteer of the Year Awards last night. 

We couldn't be more proud to have these two as part of our team and we cannot thank them enough for their tireless commitment to St John WA and the communities they are a part of. 🎉 💚

Read more about the awards via the news link in our bio 🔗

@volunteeringwa
@careers_expo_perth - let’s go!

Thinking about a career with St John WA? We’re at the Careers Expo at @pcec until Sunday! Drop by Stand 493 to chat to our careers team and paramedics 💚
New information and support guides are now available for bystanders and loved ones after an emergency 🚨

This paramedic-led initiative provides guidance, support and practical information on coping with grief and navigating the aftermath of a traumatic event.

Thank you to everyone involved in the creation of this important guide. They have now been delivered to St John WA stations and sub centres across Western Australia. Learn more via the news link in our bio 🔗
The celebration of our nurses continues! 🎉
 
Congratulations to the seven winners of St John Health’s Nurse of the Year Awards – Grace Gawlu, Krystal Malone, Pippa Chard, Rose Ann Richards, Helen Gillon, Kerry Bruhn and Adrianna Cicchini (pictured).
 
Each of these nurses always takes on challenges with enthusiasm and determination to get the very best for their patients. You can meet our great nurses at the six St John Health Urgent Care locations across Perth metro.
This International Nurses Day we want to give a big shout out to all of the incredible nurses across WA!

One of those nurses is Nina Harris.

A volunteer with St John WA for 12 years, Nina is Chairperson of our Kent Sub Centre, a Volunteer Development Officer and an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) - alongside being a nurse at a local GP in Katanning.

Despite balancing busy family and farming life with work and volunteering, Nina's inspiring other volunteers to follow her path to becoming a nurse too. We're so proud to have her as part of the team. 💚

Read more via the news link in our bio 🔗
With Mother's Day approaching we'd like you to meet Kirsten and Jana - the mother-daughter duo dedicated to their roles at St John WA 💚

After surviving a life-changing car accident at 18, Jana was inspired to become a paramedic and is now in her final year of training. Her mum, Kirsten, is a volunteer with our Community Transport Service.

Though busy schedules can keep them apart, their support for each other never stops – whether it’s a hug at work, a chat after a tough day, or training for triathlons together!

It's clear their love and close bond will keep them motivated and supported at every stage of their lives. 

Read their story via the news link in our bio 🔗
What an incredible turnout for the Festival of Triathlon in #Busselton! 🏊🏃🚲

St John Event Health Service (EHS) officers were on site to provide first aid support for more than 2300 competitors and 5000 spectators. It also marked a key event for our new South West EHS Division, based in Busselton. 

Competitors (and our EHS team) faced challenging conditions, including a rough sea, squally winds, and heavy showers, but they came through with some strong times and were supported with first-class first aid services – thanks to the great EHS crew onsite. 

Congratulations to all competitors, their support crews, and Triathlon Western Australia. We were proud to be part of it!

Photos: Clip Media and Busselton Festival of Triathlon.

@busseltonfestivaloftriathlon @triathlonwa #StJohnWA #WesternAustralia
Do you know how to help someone experiencing an asthma attack? Perhaps you have asthma and want your friends and family to know the right steps?

This #WorldAsthmaDay we want to spread the word. Check out our asthma first aid advice via the link in our bio and share with your loved ones 💚
When you've spent over a decade committed to helping others, the instinct to step in never really fades.

St John WA volunteer Philip Groom was in his local cafe when he noticed a man slumped at a table nearby. With a tonne of volunteer experience, across Event Health Services and now, our Community Transport Service, Philip jumped into action - checking the man's breathing and pulse and keeping him stable until help arrived. 💚

Read more via the link in our bio 🔗
Good morning from Eucla 🌈

Thanks to our volunteer Jenny for sharing this photo with us.

#Eucla #WesternAustralia #StJohnWA
Three St John WA volunteers are finalists in the WA Volunteer of the Year awards! 🎉

Brian Gallop, Bree Del Borrello and Nicole Kelly are all finalists in this annual celebration of Western Australia's dedicated community of volunteers.

Congratulations and good luck! Winners will be announced on May 15.

Read more via the news link in our bio 🔗

@volunteeringwa
This ANZAC Day we pause to remember and honour the courage, sacrifice, and service of all Australians and New Zealanders who have served in wars and conflicts — past and present.

St John WA proudly maintains ongoing ties with our colleagues in the Australian Defence Force, with several of our own serving as members. 

Lest We Forget.

Thanks to those who help the helpers. This weekend, one of our behind-the-scenes legends steps into the spotlight. Mike Ivanovski – ambulance fleet maestro and West Coast Eagles superfan – will toss the coin at Optus Stadium. If you’ve ever been in a St John WA vehicle – a community car, an Event Health Services rig, a patient transport van, or an ambulance – odds are Mike had a hand in keeping it on the road. For over 35 years, he’s worked quietly and tirelessly to make sure our crews can roll out safely, no matter what. To Mike, and the hundreds like him who help the helpers in emergency services: thank you.

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20 years of our Special Operations Paramedics 🎂 Since 2004, they have tackled the most dangerous and complex emergencies, from fires and collapses to sieges and COVID-19 quarantine support. The team has grown into a highly skilled unit of 22, working with agencies like Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA and Western Australia Police Force now operating independently in high-risk environments. Their work includes vertical rescues, HAZMAT, confined spaces and more, supported by a custom-built response vehicle and regular intensive training. More than just clinical experts, these paramedics embody compassion, resilience, and teamwork, making a real difference on people’s worst days. Read more from the past 20 years: https://news.stjohnwa.com.au/20-year-milestone-for-special-operations-paramedics/

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First Lights and Sirens round of the year DONE. Final score: Dockers 77, Hawthorn 64. See you next week when the Eagles take on Richmond!

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Who's at the footy tonight? 🙋 Tonight's Dockers vs Hawks game is dedicated to WA's amazing emergency services and we couldn't be more proud to be there. 🐻 Meet our very own Kura bear 🚑 Join us for ambulance tours, CPR races and prizes with our Youth and Community Team 🩹 Grab some special goodies to help you through the match 💚 Watch our team in green making special appearances throughout the evening Stop and say hi if you see us! Fremantle Dockers Western Australia Police Force Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA

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What a week so far! We've been proudly celebrating NAIDOC Week by supporting Aboriginal-led conferences and delivering first aid training all around Perth in a yarning style. Led by our First Nations First Aid Yarning Crew and the Youth and Community Engagement team, we engage with Elders first and then bring first aid education to community members in culturally appropriate language and places from local parks to community sheds. Learn more about it: https://brnw.ch/21wU27k Thanks to Meerilinga Children and Community Services for some of the pics!

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An important message from one of our paramedics on 6PR Perth.

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Who's at Optus Stadium this weekend? 🙌 This Saturday's Dockers vs Hawks game is dedicated to WA's amazing emergency services, including our very own team here at St John WA. Look out for us with our friends at Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA and Western Australia Police Force. A massive thanks to Fremantle Dockers for getting behind us. See you there!

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“This job can be challenging. Having a good group of people around you makes all the difference.” St John WA paramedic Nick proudly nurtures the next generation of paramedics by sharing best practice and offering vital insight into the reality of the job through his mentoring role. For him, a supportive community is essential. Learn more: https://news.stjohnwa.com.au/celebrating-mentorship-and-community-this-international-paramedics-day/ #InternationalParamedicsDay #IPD2025 #UnityAndCommunity

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Did you know it's International Paramedics Day? A day to honour, thank and recognise our incredible paramedics, all around the world. St John WA paramedics are more than just a team, they're a community - lifting each other up so they can lift others. Whether that's through peer-led training, or mentoring the next generation, they are united in the passion and care they bring to the profession. No one else personifies that ‘thank god you’re here’ sense of relief like paramedics do 💚

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NAIDOC Week marks a powerful milestone: 50 years of honouring and elevating Indigenous voices, culture, and resilience. In the spirit of the week – celebrating the next generation: strength, vision and legacy – St John WA team members and the Perth community have donated 10 large boxes of ball clothes to remote Aboriginal communities for special NAIDOC and school events, thanks to the incredible initiative of St John WA volunteer Jade Maitland-Smith (EMT) and support for postage from Perpetual. And, as part of NAIDOC Week events, we'll be providing free first aid skills in a yarning style to an estimated 5000-7000 people across Perth. Learn more and find out where you can find us all this week: https://news.stjohnwa.com.au/naidoc-week-next-generation-gets-celebrated-in-style/

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Were you in Yagan Square last Thursday, on the coldest morning of the year? We were, and it was freezing. Luckily, we brought soup, warm socks, and something for the sniffles. Catch us somewhere near you soon with another billboard. Sprains, strains, or sneeze-filled trains - we’re Here to Help. 🩹 Helpful supplies here: https://brnw.ch/21wTToX. 👩‍🏫 Learn first aid here: https://brnw.ch/21wTToW

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“It all happened within about 30 seconds, but felt like forever." St John WA team member Ashleigh Kretzmann was at her local shopping centre last week when she heard a woman crying out that her daughter was choking. Incredibly, Ashleigh had only recently done her first aid training and was able to apply her new skills and save the four-year-old girl's life. Read more: https://brnw.ch/21wTRBq

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We'd like to say a huge congratulations to our St John WA - Harvey Sub Centre 🎉 The team has taken out the Community Group Award at the Shire of Harvey's Homegrown Heroes Awards for 2025. The award recognises a community group that has made a significant contribution to the Shire for more than five years. And with our Harvey Sub Centre celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, the team has certainly achieved that!

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"The sight of the stars makes me dream..." 🌟 Our volunteers are a talented bunch. This stunning shot was captured by avid photographer Maxine Peter during a St John WA voluntourism stint in Shark Bay.

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We're proud to have donated 75 manual Ferno stretchers, worth more than $800,000, to international hospitals and medical clinics to be used for patient transfer or in ambulances. The stretchers will be distributed in Kenya, South Sudan, Uganda and Cambodia as part of RAWCS - Rotary Australia World Community Service humanitarian, development and disaster relief. 💚 Read more: https://news.stjohnwa.com.au/african-hospitals-benefit-from-st-john-wa-stretcher-donation/

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A couple since their university days in Queensland, Helena and Jorge's careers as paramedics have taken them around the world. 🌏 Not only have they served as paramedics in Australia, they worked for the busy London Ambulance Service during one of the most turbulent times in modern health care: the COVID-19 pandemic. Now they've settled in Western Australia and are excited to be part of the team here at St John WA. Learn more: https://news.stjohnwa.com.au/a-paramedic-pair-in-step-and-in-service/

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Today is St John’s Day, a time to reflect on St John’s legacy of compassion and care - values that continue to guide us today. We're also celebrating 100 years of young people making a difference and marking the return of the St John Academy, a modern take on the previous Cadet Program, which shapes future healthcare professionals. Nick Overington, who began as a Cadet with Melville in 2011, is now a Paramedic and Clinical Lead with St John WA. When asked about the Academy, Nick said: “Choosing to join the program will be one of the best decisions you'll make! Even if becoming a paramedic doesn’t interest you, the skills you learn and friends you make will be invaluable in life. If becoming a paramedic is something that might interest you, then the program will help to give you an insight into the world of ambulance.” Nick also recently launched the first public podcast for St John WA. Learn more about his journey and new project: https://news.stjohnwa.com.au/a-paramedics-journey-from-cadet-to-clinical-lead/ St John Ambulance Australia

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Great to see our teams in action for the next season of Paramedics! Keep an eye out in 2026 👀

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A true tail of friendship! 🐕 After her son was calmly and kindly treated for anaphylaxis by paramedics, Tess knew she wanted to become a volunteer with St John WA in Albany. Here, she hit it off with paramedic Bridget where they bonded over their love of dogs and good food. Not only have Tess and Bridget becomes mates, their dogs have too! From depot dinners to hanging out on shifts, Tess has loved the social side of being a St John WA volunteer alongside learning new skills and supporting her community too. Volunteer with us today: https://www.stjohnwa.com.au/changelives/volunteer

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Our Albany team has made a very special delivery. St John WA paramedic Gerard Monks and volunteer ambulance officer Lisa Kelder arrived to the Gibellini household to find mum Jenna ready to give birth in the bathroom. Gorgeous baby James was born just 10 minutes later. Read all about the dramatic birth: https://news.stjohnwa.com.au/special-delivery-in-albany-sees-st-john-wa-crew-help-welcome-baby-boy/

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