St John Awards For Service
Teenager Kirsten Hilliker helped save her mum’s life when her mum, Graziella had a stroke at their Northmead home last year. Then the18-year-old St John Ambulance cadet recognised the signs and symptoms of a stroke, called for the ambulance and took the appropriate action to monitor and observe her mother until additional help arrived.
Last week The Hills St John Ambulance Member was presented with a special award by Zone Leader Ben Tory.
Jennie Page, Superintendent The Hills St John: “Although Kirsten did not have to perform CPR or defibrillate her mother had she not acted as she did the outcome could have been very different.
“She certainly does deserve acknowledgement for her actions… everyone should be prepared and should be equipped with first aid knowledge which may enable them to save a life. So many of these first aid incidents happen in the home and the family are always the first point of help.”
Emergency services Minister David Elliott who is a serving St John member, as head of the St John Ambulance Parliamentary Auxiliary, presented eight members with the Premier’s Bushfire Emergency Citation for their deployment during the 2019/2020 bushfires: Diane Anderson, Simone Bland, Fiona Brigg, Ben Irvine, Damian Orts, Jennie Page and Patrick Reilly.
Many were deployed to places in southern NSW, such as Conjola and Batemans Bay, to provide both medical and psychological first aid in the evacuation centres.
Several members were presented awards for their years of service to St John Ambulance including Anney Evans (pictured) who has been a St John volunteer for 23 years.
Members of North Rocks Cadet Division were also presented with awards at Baulkham Hills Community centre.
The 19 Medal recipients also included:
• Warrant of Appointment – Grade VI Officer to Tim Pickering
• Certificates of Appointment to Sergeants to Patrick Reilly and Rebecca Chodat.
