Four of St John WA’s finest recognised in Australia Day Honours
Three St John WA paramedics, along with a dedicated regional volunteer, have been awarded Ambulance Service Medals in this year’s Australia Day Honours List.
The Ambulance Service Medal was instituted in 1999 to recognise those who have rendered distinguished service as a member of an Australian ambulance service.
St John WA Group CEO Kevin Brown said he was “very proud” of the medal recipients.
“It’s wonderful to see these exceptional individuals being recognised.
“They each represent the very best of our organisation and what we stand for.”
Ralph Leslie Briggs
Ralph has demonstrated exceptional dedication and service in his role at the Leonora sub centre, where he has effectively managed operations for the past eight years as a volunteer ambulance officer and emergency medical technician.
He is the backbone of emergency response, consistently attending to calls day and night, often partnering with police due to volunteer shortages.
Despite recent personal health challenges, Ralph’s commitment remains unwavering.
Concurrently, he diligently fulfills his full-time role at the Leonora Council.
Ralph’s contributions to St John WA have been profound and enduring.
As the primary attendant of the sub-centre, he ensures seamless operations and swift emergency responses, even driving in collaboration with police when volunteers are scarce.
Beyond his operational duties, Ralph is known in Leonora for his compassionate care and unwavering dedication to patients.
He is widely recognised as the face of St John WA, embodying kindness, humility, and professionalism.
Ralph also plays a pivotal role in mentoring volunteer ambulance officers, generously sharing his expertise to uphold standards of care.
His selfless contributions and steadfast dedication to both his community and the ambulance service are exemplary.
Nicholas Chadbourne
Nic joined St John WA in 2008 as an ambulance officer and then worked up to becoming an ambulance paramedic, working in the metropolitan service in Perth.
He then became a community paramedic for the Midwest Region.
He was one of the first community paramedics in the Midwest, originally looking after the Mt Magnet/Meekatharra region, before being transferred to the central coastal region as more community paramedics came into the region.
Nic works in a space where he is a single responder to emergency ambulance calls, either attending as first on scene or as backup to volunteer crews who have arrived before him.
When Cyclone Seroja made landfall on the western coastline of Western Australia as a Category 3 severe tropical cyclone, Nic’s skills and knowledge became invaluable as he prepared his sub-centres and volunteer ambulance officers, ensuring he communicated updates to volunteers and made sure sub-centres had their emergency plans up to date.
After the cyclone had passed, Nic was on the ground providing first aid and helping to ready the sub-centres and ambulances to support their communities.
He was instrumental in working with the Emergency Management Department, arranging incoming support personnel and provided on the ground updates back to St John WA.
His knowledge of the geography, infrastructure, resources and local agency personnel proved to be invaluable in the initial recovery period and then long-term recovery.
His help and assistance ranged from the practical, with him delivering fresh food and supplies from Geraldton to the volunteers he was visiting, to writing reports on the cyclone management and response for St John WA and other agencies to improve future preparedness and response.
Luke Fowles
Luke’s exceptional performance and dedication have significantly impacted St John WA’s emergency management operations.
His role as a paramedic during northwest cyclone events and the COVID-19 pandemic showcased his unparalleled expertise in logistics, communication leadership, and stakeholder management.
Check out Luke leading road safety messaging for Leavers below
During the cyclone response, Luke played a crucial role in supporting emergency management operations ensuring on-site cyclone management was both effective and efficient.
His leadership during this challenging time was instrumental in coordinating resources and managing the dynamic needs of the emergency response in a dangerous and challenging environment.
In his capacity as a State Health Incident Coordination Centre liaison officer during the COVID-19 pandemic, Luke further distinguished himself by elevating the reputation of St John WA through his innovative approach and dedication.
He excelled in developing and managing quarantine protocols in collaboration with the Department of Health and external stakeholders, which was vital in controlling the health incident at the State level.
Luke’s contributions have not only enhanced the effectiveness of emergency responses, but have also reinforced the credibility and reliability of the organisation.
His commitment to excellence and his ability to work seamlessly with diverse teams make him a valuable asset to St John WA.
In this role, Luke acted above and beyond his required liaison responsibilities and represented St John WA with outstanding stakeholder engagement and developed and cemented the St John WA liaison in the quarantine management process.
These dual roles acted to support frontline ambulance personnel in real time, to protect staff and the WA broader community.
Blaise Rego
Blaise has 20 years’ experience in emergency clinical and operational response at St John WA, holding numerous operational roles during this time.
He has had a key role in the development and implementation of several key internal programs and initiatives such as the Paramedic Mentor Program, Event Health Services Bike Squad and Mangar ELK Safety Lifting Device.
Blaise has also assisted in several significant collaborations between St John WA, Royal Perth Hospital Cardiology, Fiona Stanley Hospital and Joondalup Health Campus that resulted in paramedic professional development, VEM (Virtual Emergency Medicine) implementation and RACE (Rapid Access Clinic for Elderly) support.
His passion for improvement also saw him involved in the PARTY (Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth) program.
Blaise was an integral part of the success of the 2021 Metropolitan Management team pilot in the South West District, as well as a key contributor and administrator for the organisation-wide Leadership Interest Group.
These initiatives required detailed business planning, budget management and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders to achieve organisational objectives.
These partnerships have led to improved patient care pathways and outcomes, as well as enhancing paramedic education and training.
Blaise is a highly qualified and experienced people leader with a proven track record in fostering strong, effective relationships with employees and external stakeholders.
He is adept at driving change and continuous improvement through a collaborative approach, and he is known for a people-focused, honest approach that emphasises leadership resilience and integrity.
Blaise is dedicated to supporting a team environment and consistently demonstrates the values of St John WA.
This all leads to a team dynamic where operational excellence and high performance are at the forefront of his daily interactions at every level.
