“I feel honoured that the work we are doing at Wellington Free Ambulance has been recognised as being the best in New Zealand and Australia. I’m proud of myself and my team!”

Tash Ellis, Emergency Medical Call Taker, has been named as Australasia Emergency Medical Dispatcher of the Year!

The International Academy of Emergency Dispatcher created the annual award to identify and recognise individuals who have made the most significant contributions to further the values and mission of the Academies through personal action. Including Fire, Police and Ambulance, across New Zealand and Australia, the award is given to the emergency dispatcher who has most successfully exemplified the values and mission of the Academies.

“Winning Dispatcher of the year is recognition that day after day, I’m doing the right thing for our patients, and we as a team are up there with the best in the world when looking after our community” says Tash.

It can be challenging work to provide the best possible care for every caller. With sometimes only 15 seconds between each call and 12 hour shifts, each call taker can respond to up to one hundred calls per day.

“Keeping people calm and providing instructions in a high pressure situation can be hard work. Sometimes we are talking to people on the worst day of their lives, but with every call I know I can help.” Says Tash.

Last year Wellington Free Ambulance call takers managed 114,000 calls from all over New Zealand.

“Every person in the team does an amazing job at providing such a great service for our patients. As one big supportive family we help each other through the highs and lows. Our team truly is special and so amazing at what they do” says Tash.

Kate Jennings, Executive Director Communications Centre and Patient Coordination, says she is ‘incredibly proud’.

“Wellington Free Ambulance, the smallest of all the ambulance services, has won the award three times in the last four years. This just goes to show what truly wonderful and professional staff we have and I am humbled by the respect and compassion they show call after call, day after day.”

Tash’s overall performance is consistently excellent, but her award winning call wasn’t out of the ordinary. With an elderly patient struggling to breathe it was Tash’s kindness and reassurance that really stood out. Staying on the phone with helpful but comforting advice until paramedics arrived, her patient felt listened to and well looked after.

“When I think back to that call I remember I felt her despair and wanted to do what I could to relieve some of that. She told me about how scared and alone she felt not having any family nearby. If she was one of my family members I would want her to feel reassured. Being there to help in that initial time of need is the most rewarding part of the job”, says Tash.