FOR 51 years Leeton paramedic Chris Bailey has put everyone else first, now it's time for him to do the reverse.
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Mr Bailey has officially retired from NSW Ambulance following a long, but fruitful career.
His friendly demeanor and experience that can't be measured will be missed by the community.
It was just last year that Mr Bailey celebrated 50 years of service with NSW Ambulance, but felt the time was now right to retire and start to enjoy a life away from work.
Having been born into an ambulance family, Mr Bailey knows life will be different without living and breathing the service every day.
However, it is an adjustment he is looking forward to. He has plenty to look forward to, including being able to "say yes" to many more events with friends and family, continuing with his model plane hobby and spending more time at home with his wife Liz and two "fur babies" Murphy and Fergus.
More travelling and exploration of both Australia and overseas will also be on the cards once the country and world opens back up again.
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Mr Bailey's long career is one to be marvelled - one many young paramedics coming through the ranks should be paying close attention to and even aspiring to be like.
He started his career as an appointee to the Ambulance Board's nursing cadetship in 1970, where he was the first male nurse to start and complete training at Sydney Hospital, graduating as a registered nurse in 1973.
In 1976 he started employment with the Central District Ambulance Service as a general duties ambulance officer, serving in Bankstown and Campsie before successfully completing level five paramedic training in 1978.
After this appointment, Mr Bailey worked at several metropolitan stations, continuing to climb the ranks, but knowing what was truly important - the lives of his patients.
It was in 1986 that he moved to Leeton and became station officer.
His skills didn't suffer from "living in the country" and perhaps were only enhanced.
To this day he is still one among a few in the area who have the appropriate intensive care skills and training to their name.
Mr Bailey has dealt with all manner of situations both good and bad and, not just in and out of the back of an ambulance, which is often unpredictable and uncertain.
It's the rigors of the job that he has also had to handle day-in and day-out, including a lack of staff over the years, long hours, taxing rosters, life at its best and worst.
With so much living, experience, awards and skills to his name, making the decision to retire was surely not an easy one, but Mr Bailey felt the time was right.
"I will definitely miss the patients the most ... the friendships I have made over the years with them, people in the job as well," he said.
"It is only when you sit down and start to look back or think about things that you remember all of the stories and people over the years.
"I will definitely miss certain parts of the job. If I had to say, I would definitely look back at 95 to 98 per cent of my time and say it's been good.
"I won't miss having an alarm or the long hours that's for sure. I have a lot of people to thank from over the years who were instrumental in getting me to where I am today."
As well as his tiresome effort as a paramedic, Mr Bailey has also been involved with the community over the years.
I will definitely miss certain parts of the job. If I had to say, I would definitely look back at 95 to 98 per cent of my time and say it's been good.
- Leeton paramedic Chris Bailey
He was instrumental in re-establishing the Leeton Ambulance Auxiliary, co-founded the Leeton Hospital Loss and Grief Group, taught and trained emergency volunteers and the list goes on.
With a life devoted to helping others, it is now time for Mr Bailey to recharge his batteries and live life to the fullest outside of full-time work.
His service to the community, his decades of experience that are unparalleled and his willingness to always help will long live on even though he has now hung up his uniform.
The Leeton shire community salutes him now and into the future.
A farewell will beheld for Mr Bailey next month in Leeton.
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