Paramedic Bob Whitney finishes his stellar career with NSW Ambulance

Now heading into nine months of well-earned long-service leave before officially retiring next year, Mr Whitney reflected fondly on his time with NSW Ambulance.

Mr Whitney began his career at 19 years old in Dubbo - the town he'd grown up in.

It was a career he perhaps wouldn't have considered if it hadn't been for a tragic incident involving his younger sister when he was just 17 years old.

She had been killed by a drunk-driver, who took off from the scene without rendering assistance.

"That was probably one of the reasons I decided to join," he said

"I learnt from that, that when you lose somebody you need to find a way of helping others."

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Diving into the career, Mr Whitney would later be involved in some of the most dangerous events in recent years, from the Thredbo Landslide in 1997, to treating people during the recent Black Summer Bushfires and working through the COVID-19 pandemic.

He worked all over regional NSW; from Tamworth to Wee Waa, Sydney, Goulburn, Narooma and Bermagui before settling and finishing up in Bega.

"I love the country and served nearly all my time in the country," he said.

On Friday, May 19 he had his last shift, a "surreal" experience that he was able to share with some of the people closest to him at a morning tea celebration at the Bega Ambulance Station.

"He's always been the person that's willing to do anything that's asked of him," zone manager Jade Marks said.

"Nothing is ever too much. It's always been fun with many laughs over the years, and he does his job well. He is an amazing paramedic and an amazing manager to all of his staff.

Looking towards his retirement, Mr Whitney said he didn't have too many plans yet, and looked forward to exploring more of the Bega Valley - the place he and wife Carol fell in love with 13 years ago.

"My wife and I do a lot of cruising. Over the next few months we're just going to take it easy and do some more travelling around regional NSW and predominantly the Bega Valley.

"The Valley is such a beautiful area and the people are just absolutely brilliant.

Overjoyed and slightly overwhelmed by the big send off, Bob said he'd "hoped to go out like Casper the friendly ghost, very quietly", but was incredibly grateful to share the moment with his colleagues.

"The paramedics I work with at Bega, and I work with them even though I am their manager, are some of the most exceptional paramedics I've ever worked with," he said.

"I've seen our emergency service shine and in particular our paramedics shine and show exemplary service to the community."

He said had been particularly impressed with the team during the Black Summer Bushfires, some of whom had lost their own properties and stock.

"They still managed to come to work and do what they needed to do as paramedics and made sure the communities were at the fore while they were on duty - knowing full well that their own properties were under threat as well," Mr Whitney said.

Never far from Mr Whitney's side, wife Carol Whitney had also played a massive role in his career - his "backbone", who even took radio and phone calls for him while juggling their two daughters during their years in Wee Waa.

"She's been with me for 43 of my 47 years in the ambulance service and probably knows more about the ambulance service than I do," Mr Whitney said.

Incredibly grateful, Mr Whitney signed off his last shift at 1800 hours on Friday with a big smile on his face, looking forward to family time with his wife, two children and two grandchildren.

"I don't call it a job, I call it a career and I would recommend this to any young person. It's the most wonderful and rewarding career.

"It's a career where you enter into somebody's life at their worst time and try and make them better."

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