Geelong intensive care paramedic Michael Wells reflects after 25 years in the job

A Geelong paramedic who has worked on the road and in the sky followed in his dad’s footsteps when he joined the ambulance service as a 21-year-old.

Geelong paramedic Michaels Wells is celebrating 25 years as a mobile intensive care paramedic. Picture: Supplied

Following in his father’s footsteps, Geelong paramedic Michael Wells joined the ambulance service to help people in their time of need.

After 25 years as a mobile intensive care (MICA) paramedic, he remains passionate about making a difference.

Working in the ambulance service is continuing to run in the family with Mr Wells’ daughter currently studying her paramedicine degree.

Mr Wells’ father was a paramedic for more than three decades.

“I have a lot of memories of my dad bringing the ambulance home and being on call,” he said.

“Through him I got to see what the career was like.”

In the final year of his nursing degree, Mr Wells applied to join the ambulance service and was accepted when he turned 21.

He spent a short time working as a paramedic in New South Wales before joining the Geelong and District Ambulance Service in 1995.

Mr Wells became a MICA paramedic in 1999 and traded the road for the sky to become a MICA flight paramedic in 2005.

“When I commenced MICA, advanced life support paramedics had only just been introduced so within a short period of time I went from only being able to administer a few medications to being able to perform advanced treatments,” he said.

“It was a very steep learning curve but luckily, I had some great leaders and mentors around me who helped me gain confidence.

“I always liked the idea of the helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) and the more time I spent on the road, the more it became attractive to me.

“When I made the switch, I was only 30 years old and one of the youngest people on HEMS.”

Geelong paramedic Michaels Wells in his younger days. Picture: Supplied.

Mr Wells is now the acting Barwon South West area manager and while leading a team of paramedics is different to being on the road, he said the foundations were the same.

“Part of being a good paramedic is caring for people, whether you’re in a road ambulance or helicopter,” he said.

“You’re still looking after people every day, just in a different capacity.”

His biggest piece of advice for anyone wanting to work in paramedicine is to never lose sight of the significant role you play.

“We’re in a very privileged position to help people in their time of need,” he said.

“They’ve called because they don’t know what else to do (and) we’re there to help them.

“The jobs we go to allow us to see the best and worst the world has to offer, but knowing we’ve helped someone when they needed it most makes everything bearable.”

Mr Wells was recognised for his 25 years of service in MICA at the Barwon South West staff service awards.

Originally published as Geelong intensive care paramedic Michael Wells reflects after 25 years in the job