When Carol Bond's name was read out as the first NSW Emergency Services Paid Officer of the Year at the Dockside Pavilion in Sydney last Friday, few in the room knew what a big week it had been for her.
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The NSW Ambulance paramedic specialist based in Bulli was recognised at the inaugural Rotary NSW State Emergency Services Awards just days after her daughter Sally's wedding at the Old Court House opposite Wollongong Harbour.
On Friday, she was near the water and surrounded by family once again. But this time it was Darling Harbour.
Her husband Rick and son Joshua were with her when the announcement was made. It was an exciting culmination to a very busy period for all of them.
"Sunday was my daughter's wedding," Mrs Bond said. "It had been a big six weeks to eight weeks leading up to the wedding. I made my daughter's dress and I made my own dress. I took some long service leave off work to do that. It was an absolute pleasure to do it as well," she said.
Mrs Bond admits to shaking just before her name was announced as the overall winner for an emergency services officer in a paid capacity on Friday.
She said she did not expect it.
"I was in a fluster. This means so much because it is recognition of everyone else who has supported me. And it was an opportunity for me to get up and thank everybody else [including workmates]. It is validation of all the support I get from my family and friends."
Mrs Bond works at Bulli Ambulance Station and lives in Corrimal.
She decided to become a specialist paramedic after a background in surf lifesaving.
"And one of my first jobs, besides being a beach inspector, was working in the steelworks," she said.
"I just knew I was not in the right place but did not know what else was out there. I opened the Illawarra Mercury one day and saw a job vacancy for the NSW Ambulance Service for ambulance officers. I just had a lightbulb moment and said 'that is it'."