Members of the Rotary Club of Dubbo Macquarie say they are "thrilled and proud" to see long-serving member John Stonestreet recently awarded the NSW Service Medallion for 45 years of dedication and devotion to the NSW Ambulance Service.

John first pulled on revered emergency service’s uniform as a bright-eyed youngster in 1976, joining as a probationary ambulance officer and going on to hold a number of roles including ambulance officer and paramedic, station officer, district superintendent, operations manager, and at his retirement, was deputy director clinical operations in the western sector.

John has dedicated more than half his life to saving and enriching lives across our region:

• He was instrumental in developing the "community first responder" and "volunteer ambulance officer" models across western NSW.

• Spearheaded the creation of a nurse-led community service in Ivanhoe with Far West Local Health District (which was nominated for the NSW Premier’s Award in 2004).

• Led important industrial reform in Broken Hill, supported rural critical care conferences and led the western sector through major bushfire emergencies.

John’s service has been recognised through other awards as well, including the NSW Ambulance Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, Third Clasp and Commissioner’s Unit Citation for Service, the National Medal, the National Emergency Medal Bushfires 2019-2020 and the NSW Premier’s Bushfire Emergency Citation.

Affectionately dubbed “Sizzler” by club members thanks to his unfailing devotion to wrangling the club barbecues (one of Rotary’s most revered roles!), John's fellow Rotarians say they are "so proud" of the quiet achiever.

A club representative said, "We know how much John has done and continues to do, so it's great to see him receive this well deserved recognition, and on behalf of our club, our community, our state and our nation, we say "thank you, John, for your service!"