Heather Keele once suffered impostor syndrome and doubted her own abilities to be an ambulance officer.
But she had a deep motivation to help people in need.
Now, as group operations manager — she has served Hato Hone St John in Mid Canterbury for 22 years and after years of dedication, she has received two high-level recognitions for her service.
She was invested into the Order of St John as a member at a ceremony in Dunedin last month after being named on the 2025 Order of St John Honours list for services to clinical operations.
The Honour, sanctioned by His Majesty King Charles III, recognised the dedication and significant work individuals made to the organisation.
Keele said it was quite a process to earn special medals worn on formal uniforms.
‘‘It makes me now appreciate the work all staff have completed for the New Zealand public that may have previously gone unnoticed,” she said.
Before joining St John, Keele was working at Ashburton Hospital as an orderly and it was seeing the ambulances arriving that sparked her curiosity about working for the organisation.
She started as a volunteer before moving into paid casual, and then full time work.
Starting as an ambulance officer in 2004 she has studied to gain qualifications including a national diploma certificate and paramedicine degree.
In 2017 she was appointed as the station manager followed by peer support officer in 2021, area support manager in 2022 and then group operations manager.
Alongside her paid role, Keele still volunteers within the organisation as a peer supporter and at community events and with the ambulance so she can help develop new volunteers.
“Needless to say, 22 years later I have achieved a Bachelor of Health Science in Paramedicine and become the local group operations manager for Mid Canterbury South,” she said.
“I can honestly say there has not been one day that I did not mind getting out of bed to come here.
‘‘This is an incredible organisation that constantly changes, which is what I like. I do not like being bored,” Keele said.
In her career with St John, Keele has one day that she will never forget.
It was February 22, 2011.
‘‘I was working on the road in Christchurch, completing mentor shifts to gain experience for my paramedicine when the 2011 earthquake hit,’’ she said.
‘‘(It’s) something that no officer that worked that day will forget.’’
She has seen many changes across the organisation in the past two decades.
‘‘Once, we were deemed ambulance drivers in the eyes of the public, but now we are known to be clinicians.
‘‘We have developed better support networks for our team both in wellness and in education.
‘‘Through the support of the community, we now have a multitude of arms such as Caring Callers, Waka Ora Health Shuttle, Major Incident Support Team (MIST), retail stores, first aid, mental health first aid, and 3 Steps for Life (CPR and AED) training, in schools first aid training, event health services, St John Youth, patient transfer services, and we are now much more focused on our diversity within New Zealand.”
She said there were not many days that her team did not make her laugh, and proud.
“I have had my office filled with balloons. Another time when they wanted another station animal, deemed a welfare support dog, they filled my office with animal pictures.”
Keele said the chance for her to achieve her goals had been supported by her colleagues, others in the organisation and her family and she was most thankful.
Along with the investiture, Keele has also been recognised as one of 56 women from Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea to be awarded a Council of Ambulance Authorities Women in Ambulance Award.
She said it was a real honour to be among wahine who had also received this award.
“I have been inspired by other women leaders, such as our recently appointed Dame Pauline Buchanan. They are strong, fair and honest,” Keele said.
The awards highlight successful and hard-working, women in ambulance services.
And recognise women’s work, career progressions and leadership in the ambulance services in Australasia.
