During Jemma Murphy’s probationary year at Tregear Ambulance Station in 2003, her Training Officer was Warren Phillips.
Two decades later, a desire to further both her qualifications and life experiences led Jemma to apply for a Standby Control Centre class. To her surprise, Warren was there to teach and guide her once again – this time through the world of call taking and dispatching.
“We’ve remained in contact through the years and I was so excited to realise that he would once again be my leader and mentor for my training as a Standby Control Centre Officer,” Jemma said.
“I’m truly grateful for his knowledge and skills which I believe moulded me into the ‘ambo’ I am today.
“He was quite strict and had high expectations of me. I can look back now and appreciate how this helped me to always do my best.”
Warren has similar fond memories of working with Jemma all those years ago.
“I will never forget our first ever night shift together. Jemma is in the back of the car asking every patient what they did for work. Unfortunately not one patient had a job but this didn’t stop Jemma asking every one of them,” Warren said.
“She would sit there and listen to their hard luck stories with such care and compassion, being very empathetic with their situation. Typical Jemma style, always a great listener and always caring.”
Warren joined NSW Ambulance in 1995 where he spent many years working at Tregear, Springwood and Warragamba Ambulance Stations.
In 2006, he moved to Sydney Control Centre as a Standby Control Centre Officer. This position led him to work as a Duty Control Centre Officer and Acting Senior Control Centre Officer.
However, for the last five years Warren has worked in the Ambulance Education Centre, where, in a stroke of luck, his path crossed again with Jemma.
“As a student, Jemma is an absolute professional and I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to teach her as a Paramedic, Call Taker and soon to be Dispatcher,” Warren said.
“I think that everyone that knows Jemma would agree that she is one of the most caring, compassionate, professional paramedics that NSW Ambulance is lucky enough to have working with us.”
Warren’s role of both mentor and friend to Jemma throughout the years illustrates the significant impact Training Officers and Educators can have on new impressionable staff.
“One of the best parts of being an Educator is watching our student’s careers develop and watching them excel, and Jemma is certainly one of those students with a very bright future ahead of her.”