Founding member of ambulance team retires

"I can put my hand on my heart and say I've done my best for people when they needed it," said paramedic Dave Turner.

Turner, known by the nickname "Tuna", a founding member of the East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), has retired after 31 years.

EMAS said Turner had left a "legacy defined by authenticity, courage and an unwavering commitment to helping others".

When asked what kept him going through 31 years of shifts, Turner said: "It's a calling. My family always said I was made for this."

Turner said his time as a troop medic in the British Army laid the foundations for a career in pre-hospital care.

He said: "When I left the Army after my initial service, I knew I wanted to stay in a job that was about helping people."

It was also during the Army days that Turner gained the nickname "Tuna".

While playing as a goalkeeper for his football team, Turner said his teammates linked his surname with Billy the Fish, a cartoon footballing goalkeeper from the magazine Viz.

After leaving the Army, Turner applied for the ambulance service, fire service, and a police force, and was successful in all three interviews.

Ultimately, it was the ambulance role that "felt right", said Turner.

Turner began his EMAS journey in 1994 in patient transport services (PTS), based in Newark.

He described the role as invaluable grounding.

"PTS taught me how to talk to people, understand different characters, and read a room," he said.

Turner progressed to become an emergency medical technician and later became a registered paramedic in 2006.

"You're only ever as good as the team around you," he said.

The formation of the HART team in 2008 marked a turning point, not just for EMAS, but for Turner personally.

Turner said the newly formed HART team was a "crucial improvement" in how EMAS responded to large-scale or complex emergencies.

Turner, who became a team leader in 2012, said HART "had my name written all over it".

He added: "We never hesitate to take on challenging situations when the emergency response calls for it.

"I can put my hand on my heart and say I've done my best for people when they needed it."

"What makes me proud is knowing that somewhere across the region, especially at Christmas, there are families sitting around the table with loved ones who might not have been there if it wasn't for the work my colleagues and I have done."

Sid Murphy, HART and special operations manager at EMAS, said: "Tuna's retirement marks the end of a remarkable chapter for EMAS and the Hazardous Area Response Team.

"His authenticity, courage, and unwavering commitment to doing the right thing have made a lasting difference to the service, his colleagues, and to countless patients across the region.

"Thank you, Dave, for 31 years of outstanding service."

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