After four decades of service with Ambulance Victoria, helping countless numbers of people at their most vulnerable, Wodonga team leader Mike Fuery has called time on his remarkable career.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
He reflected on the moment that ignited his desire to become an ambo.
"I was near St Vincent's Hospital (Melbourne) when I pulled up at red lights behind an ambulance and it dawned on me, 'that's what I want to do'," he said.
"Working in health had interested me for some time and I had considered becoming a physiotherapist, but sitting behind the ambulance in traffic was my 'road to Damascus' moment.
"It was just one of those strange realisations."
Starting out in Melbourne as a 21-year-old in 1983, Mr Fuery transferred to Wangaratta in 1993, followed by a move to Wodonga later that year.
He said the evolution of the paramedic profession since then is "astounding".
"We started off with a blood pressure cuff and dry cleaning fluid for pain relief, using rudimentary skills and equipment," he said.
"Now, there's many more medications that we administer, better pain relief, medicines that speed hearts up if they're too slow, that slow them down if they're too fast.
"There's been many, many improvements along the way - it's like living through a time warp, waking up in a new world."
Mr Fuery said there had been countless memorable moments throughout his career, including the time he trained the brother of a baby he helped deliver.
"In Melbourne, I managed to assist during three out-of-hospital births. It was some years later that I asked a student I was training at Wodonga how he became interested in the job, and he told me when he was a kid his mum had a baby at home, and 'paramedics were there helping her'," he said.
"He described the year, the address and the scene that I remembered in great detail. It was a nice little touchstone and a bit of serendipity."
Although he has seen a lot change during his career, Mr Fuery said one problem had remained constant - alcohol.
"Alcohol is the biggest drug that affects our society and probably costs society the most in terms of dollars and resources," he said.
"Other substances certainly come into play and are a part of that, but alcohol is the one in the background - just nobody wants to talk about it."
IN THE NEWS:
- Pensioners fear for their safety as retirement village battle heats up
- YOUR SAY: Retirement village operator responds to resident concerns
- Two Albury business startups stand out on the international stage
- Highbrow business: Lauren's lappin' it up in the beauty industry
- Young stars recognised for their outstanding performances
- League powerhouse planning to be without star spearhead for finals series
While the paramedic profession has its peaks and troughs, Mr Fuery said the appreciation of the people he helped kept him going.
He recalled a time when he saved a women in Springhurst from a cardiac arrest.
"Every year after that event I got a Christmas card from her and her husband, and that meant a lot to me," he said.
"So that's one of the memorable things that I take with me into my retirement."
While the decision to retire was not an easy one to make, Mr Fuery said he was looking forward to pursuing other interests.
"Life is very short and precious; I have other things I'd like to achieve outside work, such as educating others on preventative health strategies and changing how people think of their health," he said.
"I will miss my team immensely as well as working closely with other emergency services, and the camaraderie that comes with that."
But what isn't on the horizon is a career in politics, despite running for the seat of Benambra under the Animal Justice Party in 2022.
"I think politics is something for young people, not so much people of my vintage," he said.
"So I think I'll assist if I'm asked to assist, but for now I'll just help out where I can."
He also ruled out a run for a seat on Wodonga Council.
To read more stories, download The Border Mail news app in the Apple Store or Google Play.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark https://www.bordermail.com.au/
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter: @bordermail
- Follow us on Instagram @bordermail
- Follow us on Google News