![Karl Spackman is an Ambulance Service Medal recipient for his work with the NSW Ambulance. Picture supplied Karl Spackman is an Ambulance Service Medal recipient for his work with the NSW Ambulance. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/123048163/3b5099f6-dff4-4bfc-9b86-ab737e783e90.jpg/r0_0_3024_4032_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A drive for helping others led Karl Spackman to volunteering with the ambulance, which has turned into a career spanning more than 40 years.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The Bowral resident has been recognised with an Ambulance Service Medal (ASM), in the King's Birthday Honour List.
"It was a very big surprise and [I am] humbly grateful for the honour," he said.
Initially studying to be an architect, he decided to volunteer in 1976 with the ambulance in New Zealand - where he grew up, because he wanted to help others.
Another King's birthday honour: Emeritus Professor Clive Probyn of Mittagong on King's Birthday Honours List
His time in patient care "piqued" his interest, and when he saw there were more advanced technologies in Sydney as a paramedic, and he made the move to NSW.
The committed frontline operational team member joined the NSW Ambulance (NSWA) in 1979, and initially had a stint in Wollongong.
While he mainly works in Sydney, it was his time down south and seeing a Tulip Time fun run that prompted him to move to the Highlands in the late 1990s, as well as briefly working in the region.
As a road paramedic until the early 1990s and time working in control operations, Mr Spackman ASM helped implement NSWA's first Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system, away from a paper-based model.
The CAD system helps emergency service to log calls and dispatch ambulances to patients quicker.
"I think the biggest thing is the opportunity to help people in very difficult situations and the opportunity to do that is the biggest reward," he said.
Along with this, he was also involved in the designing of operational work stations that are used by control centre staff.
The frontline operational team member has been involved in different facets of the ambulance as a supervisor, manager and shift manager.
He said "no two days are the same" in his position in operations.
"It's a great role because you have to be in contact with individual staff and their work helping people over the phone," he said.
This work with the initial dispatching models allowed Mr Spackman ASM to lead control centre staff workshops to trial an upgraded system, which is currently under review.
He has also managed large-scale emergencies during the 2019-2020 bushfires and responding throughout the pandemic.
"I really feel that the Ambulance Service Medal is a reflection of those I've worked with, who have given me the opportunity to contribute and implement ambulance services and implement patient care," he said.
While he has loved all of the experiences he has had with the NSWA, Mr Spackman ASM is following his first passion and completing an architecture degree.
It was another way for him to "look forward to different ways to contribute to the community", and follow another ambition "post ambulance".
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Bookmark our website
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Google News
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking news and regular newsletters