Paramedics in Stitches (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780646551906)

Penney Lang (nee Trinder) was born in Brisbane Queensland, Australia. At the age of ten she moved with her family, including younger sister Alicia, to the Sunshine Coast, situated north of Brisbane. After completing high school (Year 12), she became involved in the State Emergency Service and St John Ambulance Australia, Combined Division, on the Sunshine Coast. From these voluntary organisations, Penney's desire to help people was encouraged further, and she became an Honorary Ambulance Officer in 1991. After gaining full-time employment with the Ambulance Service, she graduated as a Qualified Ambulance Officer in 1995. Penney then furthered her skills and qualified to her current level as an Advanced Care Paramedic in the year 2000. On 8 July 1996, Penney and several of her colleagues were awarded an Assistant Commissioner's Commendation for outstanding courage, dedication and professionalism exhibited during the Black Hawk tragedy in Townsville on 12 June 1996. That same year, she teamed up with a colleague and entered into the Institute of Ambulance Officers Australia competition where, on winning the regional competition, they competed as finalists in the state competition. She was awarded an Emergency Services Australia Day Medal in 1997. Penney, who married her paramedic husband in 1996, has lived and worked throughout the state of Queensland, Australia. This book came about from her own experiences, and from listening to various humorous tales told by her colleagues, who would often say: "Someone should write these stories down". In order to keep a record of these events, Penney decided to compile them into a series of short stories, while maintaining confidentiality at the same time. This is her first book.