Two Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) officers have been included in the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours List, with their recognition reflecting the diversity of our staff, stations, and communities but also setting the same high professional standards.
Southport Operations Centre’s Acting Director of Clinical Operations Rachel Latimer and Mackay Station’s Advanced Care Paramedic (ACPII) Christopher Haswell were named in this year’s Honours List to receive Ambulance Service Medals for distinguished service as members of an Australian ambulance service.
For QAS officers, the Ambulance Service Medal is the highest national award recognising their contributions to our service and communities.
Rachel Latimer was recognised for her work in QAS frontline and corporate roles, where she’s
demonstrated exceptional leadership during disasters and major events and has gained a strong reputation for her passion for education and mentoring staff.
Rachel was one of the first QAS women to complete critical care paramedic training and while regarded as a trailblazer, she said she had never considered gender a deterrent.
While her QAS career officially began in December 1987, Rachel said it was a natural progression after being “born into the service” with a paramedic father working across the Southport and Logan districts.
Rachel was recognised for her work in QAS frontline and corporate roles, where she’s demonstrated exceptional leadership during disasters and major events and has gained a strong reputation for her passion for education and mentoring staff.
Rachel was one of the first QAS women to complete critical care paramedic training and while regarded as a trailblazer, she said she had never considered gender a deterrent.
While her QAS career officially began in December 1987, Rachel said it was a natural progression after being “born into the service” with a paramedic father working across the Southport and Logan districts.
Rachel’s 36 years with the QAS began at Southport and Beaudesert Stations, before moving into leadership roles at Kedron Park Headquarters, the Geebung State Operations Centre and in the Gold Coast region.
Even as a senior manager within the organisation, Rachel said she’s never lost sight of why she works at QAS.
“Since I started, I’ve only ever come to work to look after patients – that’s why I became a paramedic,” she said.
While Rachel has successfully led large scale event responses on the Gold Coast and has been deployed to disasters across the state to guide and support paramedic teams, it’s her role influencing the next generation of paramedics she’s most proud of.
“I love mentoring and coaching young paramedics, and for me, it’s about being able to watch them achieve and perhaps go on and become critical care paramedics who really influence patient care,” she said.
Rachel said the news of her ASM nomination came as a complete surprise.
“To be honest, I was a little bit shocked, but very humbled as there are a lot of deserving paramedics out there and honestly, I know it sounds cliché, but I don’t think I’m any more deserving than other paramedics who may or may not have been nominated, so I was very humbled,” she said.
QAS Commissioner Craig Emery ASM said Rachel’s ethical compass was quite extraordinary, as was her steadfast adherence to ethical and courageous decision making.
“Rachel has continued her professional development during her career, is a registered nurse, has completed her Master of Business Administration (MBA) and continues to use and display her extensive skills and knowledge in her role as a senior leader in the Gold Coast Region,” Craig said.
“Rachel continues to be engaged at state level for guidance and support regarding her skill sets in planning and services, disaster management, frontline management and is a very active mentor and coach for frontline managers.
“Rachel has been an inspiration and guiding light for future generations of women in leadership and we’re immensely proud of her,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chris Haswell was recognised for his long and exceptional service over 48 years, his
dedication to his community and the QAS, and, as well as being an accomplished clinician, remaining calm during some of the most time-critical incidents, he’s also been recognised for his role in mentoring and providing educational support to many junior officers over the years.
Chris also has the QAS in his blood, as he, his father and grandfather all served as ambulance officers in the then Queensland Ambulance Transport Brigade (QATB).
“We have 136 years of accumulated service between us, with my grandfather serving from 1911 to 1960s, my father serving from 1957 to 2010 and I started as an honorary officer in 1975 in Emerald as a 16-year-old, helping the ambulance officers on some of their jobs,” Chris said.
“Growing up with a family tradition of working with the ambulance was something I was familiar with and found fulfilling, as even from a very young age I enjoyed helping people.”
In 1980 Chris was permanently appointed to the QATB and has since worked across the state in a variety of positions including operations, education, communications, Officer in Charge, and other supervisory roles, being appointed to single and multiple officer stations in rural, regional and remote locations.
While he has attended multiple significant events throughout his career including bushfires and floods including the 2010-2011 summer of disasters which hit the Darling Downs, the achievements he’s most proud of focus on his patient care.
“Successful resuscitation of cardiac arrests is a big thing, especially when your patient is able to walk out of a hospital days or weeks later, and seeing that happen is one of the best feelings you can have as a paramedic.”
Chris said what he loves most about his job is knowing he makes a difference.
“There are times when you have a big job and you get someone to hospital either in a better condition than what they were, or at least not in a worse condition,” he said.
“Just knowing that you make a difference has always been enough for me to get fulfillment out of what I do.”
Chris said he initially thought he’d received a scam call when he found out about his nomination.
“But I guess it’s not just me this nomination means something to, I think it would probably mean something to my boys too.
“They did it tough growing up - even when were little and their dad would be home but on call, and then all of a sudden he’d be gone and that was hard on them.”
Craig said Chris has positively influenced many staff in the variety of roles he has held over a successful career and continues to be an outstanding mentor, coach, leader, and practitioner for an extended period of more than 48 years.
"Chris's unfailing commitment and dedication to excellence in patient care and education over his distinguished career has seen him provide leadership and manage highly complex and extremely challenging incidents, in sometimes very hazardous environments,” Craig said.
“Chris is a genuine unsung hero and a third generation QATB/QAS officer who epitomises the best qualities and characteristics of what is expected of a professional paramedic.”
Craig said while both long-serving officers are being recognised for quite different reasons, their high standards and dedication to their jobs, colleagues and their communities are still very much central to everything they do and the QAS is immensely proud of both officers’ achievements.
