By Jena Carr
Ambulance Victoria (AV) is celebrating its female paramedics as the organisation celebrates 37 years since the introduction of women in ambulance service roles.
The state’s first two women paramedics joined the service on July 27, 1987, with this Saturday, July 27, marking 37 years of women providing emergency care.
Acting Greater Geelong senior team manager Alyce Message started working with AV in 2008 and said there were much fewer women working across the organisation at the time.
“I started when I was 21 years old, so I was young and a female, but all of my colleagues welcomed me and didn’t treat me any differently,” she said.
Ms Message said women now make up 52 per cent of AV’s operational workforce and that she has had several opportunities including in management roles within her career.
“I feel really honoured to represent the females within the job, and that I can not only successfully have a career, but also successfully have a family,” she said.
“I’m a mum of three kids; 8, 6 and 2. So, the juggle is definitely there but it’s fantastic that I can continue my career as a paramedic along with raising a family.
“Every day and job are so different, and AV has a fantastic community. I’ve got lifelong friends from my colleagues, and that’s a huge positive of the job.”
AV chief executive Jane Miller said a diverse and inclusive workforce helped reflect the community paramedics served.
“I express my gratitude to the women who led the way, overcoming extraordinary barriers to join the ambulance service in the late ’80s and early ’90s,” she said.
