Growing up, Chloe Husseini thought her dad's career change to paramedicine was pretty cool - trading his farm boots for lights and sirens. Now a Graduate Ambulance Paramedic herself, she has a deeper appreciation for all emergency services.
Will Jeffery first donned the Ambulance Victoria (AV) uniform 15 years ago when he started as a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteer in Lang Lang.
When he got a taste of the fast-paced world of pre-hospital care, he took the plunge and became a fully qualified Advanced Life Support (ALS) paramedic.
While Chloe was only in primary school when her dad started volunteering with AV, she recognised the essential role he played within their local community.
"I thought it was the most important job in the world," she said.
"Sometimes I'd hear his pager go off and knew he was heading out to help someone. I admired how he balanced such a demanding job with being such a present dad at home.
"I also remember going to his CERT training nights, where my sister and I were the 'patients' - being spinally immobilised and assessed was both fun and gave us a glimpse of Dad in his learning environment."
While Will's AV career was exciting and fast-paced, Chloe was initially drawn to a different path, following her love of travel and becoming a flight attendant.
However, years later when she was looking for "a more meaningful job", there was only one career that came to mind.
While studying paramedicine, Chloe was employed as a SURGE Student Paramedic in COVID and later became an Ambulance Community Officer (ACO) at Rosedale.
Now in her second week on road, Chloe said she wouldn't be where she is today without the support from her dad and is proud to celebrate him this Father's Day.
"Having Dad to talk to is a huge support. He understands the cases, the pressures, and the rewards, and he's always there with advice, encouragement, and the occasional reality check when I need it," she said.
"I've watched him progress from ALS to Clinical Instructor, Team Manager and Paramedic Community Support Coordinator, achieving each role with dedication.
"It's inspiring to see a family member achieve their goals and do them so well.
"My dad is the kind of paramedic I one day hope to be - I'd love to build a career that reflects the same commitment and passion he has shown over the years."
While Will and Chloe have worked together over the years, they hope to do more shifts together in the future.
"I'm extremely proud of Chloe. She's come a long way and it's very fulfilling seeing her continue to achieve her goals and enjoy the benefits of her hard work," Will said.
This Father's Day, AV is celebrating all the dads and father figures in our organisation for their work and commitment to providing best care to all Victorians.
