Jon Beausire has retired from the St John Ambulance & Rescue Service following a 31 year career with the organisation, leading it as Chief Officer for the last 10 years.

Jon has reflected on his memories over his 31 years and said: “I have been very fortunate to have had such a long and varied career. I have been privileged to have assisted delivering babies at the start of life and been with people at the end of their lives. I have experienced that amazing moment when defibrillation has restarted someone’s heart and I have also given relatives bad news following tragic circumstances. I was one of the few paramedics who has operated on land, sea and in the air.

To be the Chief Officer for the 75th Anniversary year in 2011 was a high point for me and it allowed me to reflect on all the changes that I had overseen to move the organisation from a transport service to a mobile medical treatment provider. To top off all the memories was the extra special visit to Buckingham Palace last year to receive The Queens Ambulance Medal from Her Majesty, all of these memories will stay with me forever.

The delivery of pre-hospital medical treatment is important, but above all what I have strived to provide through a dedicated and professional workforce is ‘care’. In whatever we do, whether that is in the frontline as a paramedic, or in the administration department processing an invoice or in the shop assisting someone to choose a wheelchair, ‘care’ is the key value I have aspired to and I believe that my staff and volunteers have done that well and consistently.

I would not have been able to achieve what I have without many of the people I have worked with over the years. Their commitment and devotion to duty, in what is at times a difficult job, has been commendable. They are the most important resource of the Service and I have been very privileged to have been able to lead them as chief officer as we have strived to deliver a high standard of care, to all of our patients and other service users”.

Steve Le Page, Chairman of the St John Ambulance & Rescue Service said: “Jon has given tremendous service over his 10 years as Chief Officer and has contributed so much to the organisation during his career. He is well respected by all those that have worked with him both locally and nationally. He will be sorely missed and on behalf of the Board and the wider St John I would like to wish him the very best for his well-deserved retirement”.