Brendan’s career in the Ambulance Industry commenced in June 1978 when he was appointed as a Student Ambulance Officer stationed at Morwell in Latrobe Valley, Victoria. In 1980 he was transferred to Latrobe Valley’s Moe Branch, where he operated a single Officer emergency response Ambulance until 1984. During his time in Moe, Brendan successfully achieved the Certificate of Applied Science (Ambulance Officer) in 1993. Later that same year he qualified in a Paramedic response role with rotary wing aircraft (helicopters).

In search of a warmer and more stable climate (if that existed in Victoria!), in 1984 he transferred to Echuca along the Murray River in Victoria, working in that District from 1984-1986, until he moved to the Northern Territory where he was appointed to St John-NT, Tennant Creek as a qualified Ambulance Officer.

In 1986 and once appointed to his Tennant Creek position, he upgraded his Victorian Ambulance Officer qualification to the then St John-NT Ambulance Paramedic standard, the Associate Diploma of Applied Science (Emergency Care). Whilst posted in Tennant Creek, Brendan qualified as an Advanced Life Support Paramedic and subsequently progressed through the positions of Centre Officer (1987) and Senior Centre Officer (1988). In January 1989 he was promoted to the St John-NT Ambulance Service Superintendent position based in Darwin.

In August 1991 he was offered and accepted a 12 month secondment to the St John-NT Training Department as TAFE Programs Coordinator. During this time he achieved accreditation for St John NT as a Registered Private Training Organisation (the first NT private company to achieve such status). During this period he also successfully developed a range of first aid and Ambulance Officer courses through to national accreditation. In 1992 (and being given the opportunity by the Chief Executive Officer), he elected to remain in the Training position at the conclusion of his period of secondment and is pleased that today St John-NT continues to deliver a range of nationally accredited short courses and longer, full qualifications to an extensive and diverse client group. St John NT proudly retains its ‘private provider status today.

Brendan was formally appointed to the St John NT Training Manager role in June 1996 and in 1997 he completed the Graduate Certificate in Adult Education and Training through the University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales.

Brendan’s ‘working life’ passion today is two fold (as it has been since 1996);

1. striving to ensure St John-NT, its public first aid training and its Paramedic education programs, continue to meet ever increasing client/industry standards, and
2. leading a committed Training Team to meet, achieve and exceed the aim identified at ‘1’ above.