Doing us proud … Keilor Downs paramedic Andrew Wilson saves lives for a living. 60386 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
By Belinda Nolan
ANDREW Wilson has brought nine babies into the world and not one of them has been his.
The Keilor Downs resident has dedicated his life to serving others but insists he is no hero.
A Senior Paramedic Team Manager at the Brimbank and Hillside Ambulance units, Mr Wilson has been saving lives in the municipality for 17 years.
As part of his role, Mr Wilson oversees between 700-800 emergency call outs every month.
With more than three decades of experience under his belt, the 54-year-old has been to more emergencies than most people have had hot dinners.
Some conjure up joyful memories like the babies he’s delivered.
Others, he’d rather forget.
“The death of a child always sticks in your mind and it’s the type of incident that has the biggest impact, not just on yourself as a paramedic, but also your family.
“Any paramedic will tell you it’s one of the hardest jobs to do.”
A proud Brimbank resident, Mr Wilson has lived and worked in the city for decades.
He helped establish the St Albans Ambulance service and has worked with young offenders and local schools.
“At times it can be difficult working in your neighbourhood because you get called out to an emergency and you might actually know the patient and that can be hard.
“But it can also be a positive thing because sometimes the person is happy to see a familiar face. It can be a relief to them.”
Mr Wilson said he loved Brimbank and couldn’t imagine living any where else.
“It’s such a diverse community and it’s close to everything. My wife and son work here too and we are always bumping into people we know. Sometimes people come up to you and you can’t even remember where you know them from.”
Despite saving countless lives, Mr Wilson is quick to dismiss the hero tag.
“I would never call myself a hero. I’m just doing my job. I didn’t join the Ambulance to be a hero. No paramedic does.”
Mr Wilson is the subject of this week’s Pride in Brimbank, a series launched by Star to highlight the remarkable stories of Brimbank’s everyday heroes who take pride in their community. If you know someone in your community who fits the bill, email belinda.nolan@starnewsgroup.com.au or call 99334815.
