AV stalwart named Emergency Service Worker of the Year
November 15, 2023in Community News
During his 21 years at Ambulance Victoria (AV), Fleet Maintenance Supervisor Simon Pilkington has gone out of his way to deliver ambulance services to the community, with his efforts earning him the 2023 Rotary Emergency Service Worker of the Year award.
Presented last month by the Appin Park Rotary Club in Wangaratta, the award recognises those who go above and beyond for their community.
Narelle Capp, Simon Pilkington and Steve Doyle at the Rotary award presentation last month.
In his role, Simon oversees more than 260 operational vehicles and a team of Fleet Maintenance Officers in the Hume and Loddon Mallee regions.
Simon ensures all fleet demands are met even during times of significant workload and emergency events such as the Black Saturday and 2019-20 fires.
Simon said he was completely shocked and honoured to receive the award.
“It was totally unexpected and a big surprise,” he said.
“It was really nice to be recognised like that by my peers after all the years of hard work and putting in the physical hours as well as the mental hours.
“It’s not just about myself either, I look after workshops in Shepparton, Bendigo and Wangaratta and the people I’ve got working with me are just fantastic.
“I can lean on them to help out and there’s a lot of mutual respect. For me, this was about recognising the team too and I thank Rotary for this award.”
AV Hume Acting Regional Director Steve Doyle said Simon was “a vital link” in ensuring service delivery in both regions.
“Simon has risen to the challenge during natural disasters including fire and flooding events that have occurred during his time with AV, and his expertise has been an invaluable link in the implementation of specialist resources,” he said.
“This is a significant task as the maintenance, management and support required to keep 260 operational response vehicles on the road is extremely challenging under normal conditions, let alone during significant workload and emergency events.
“I thank Simon for his contribution to our organisation and for sharing his knowledge and passion for delivering ambulance services to the wider Victorian community.”