From cadet to technician: Noel marks 50 years with London Ambulance Service
By Community Correspondent
A London Ambulance Service veteran who has spent half a century caring for Londoners has celebrated 50 years with the organisation.
Noel Thomas, now 67, joined the Service as a 17-year-old cadet in 1976.
Five decades later, he is still part of the team, working as a technician preparing ambulances for crews heading out on shift.
To mark the milestone, Noel was presented with a long-service certificate at the Service’s Waterloo headquarters by Chief Executive Jason Killens.
During his career, Noel has seen huge changes in the way emergency care is delivered – from crews relying on paper maps to find patients to today’s highly skilled paramedics providing advanced treatment at the scene.
“When I joined, the ambulance service was very different,” he said.
“Our 999 call handlers receive so many more calls now compared to when I first started in 1976.
“When we received jobs, we answered the phones at our stations and were given a map reference with the location of the patient. Ambulances did not have sat nav – we had to rely on reading maps.”
In those days, crews often focused on getting patients to hospital as quickly as possible.
“Now much more advanced care is provided on scene,” Noel said.
He also remembers a much more formal atmosphere when he joined as a cadet.
“It felt like a military organisation. As cadets, we had uniform inspections and had toclean our spaces like soldiers do in the army.”
Noel went on to work at Park Royal, Willesden, Wembley and Brent before training as aparamedic at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington.
Some of his happiest memories are of helping to bring new life into the world.
“I loved delivering babies,” he said. “That was always such a special moment and I can remember most of them to this day.
“You’re helping to bring life into the world. It was the best part of my job.”
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For more than 30 years, Noel worked alongside crewmate Christine Money, who hassince retired.
Christine said Noel had a natural ability to put people at ease, something which provedinvaluable during their years working together.
“Noel is a special kind of person. He manages to put everyone at ease which has been agreat asset. He has a lot of patience, is very modest and has a great sense of humour.
“Over the years we have laughed a lot and cried many a time as we grew old together.”
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Noel said having a trusted crewmate by his side made even the difficult days easier.
“I have been blessed that I have done something I’ve loved so much.
“Being a paramedic does have its challenges, but with a crewmate like Christine you feltlike you can achieve anything.”
Noel retired in 2016, but returned to London Ambulance Service three years later after being encouraged to come back by someone he knew at the Service.
He joined the Make Ready team, which works around the clock to restock, refuel andclean ambulances, making sure they are ready for crews at the start of every shift.
“It was by coincidence that I came back as I had met someone who worked at the Service and suggested that I return,” Noel said.
“It felt like I was coming home and it’s been great seeing old friends again.”
Jason Killens, Chief Executive of London Ambulance Service, said Noel should be proud of his contribution over five decades.
“Noel has touched the lives of Londoners for 50 years. He has seen how the Service has adapted to meet the needs of Londoners over the last five decades.
“We are incredibly proud of Noel for reaching this incredible milestone. And he should be very proud of this achievement too.”
