7/17/2008 - AFS Australia Volunteer Honored with an Ambulance Service Medal

Darren C. Mudge, an AFS Australia Returnee to Thailand (1987-88) and a former AFS International staff member has been recently honored with one of Australia’s most prestigious awards —The Ambulance Service Medal. The Medal is awarded for distinguished service by a member of an Australian ambulance service. Darren received the Ambulance Service Medal from the Governor-General (The Queen Elizabeth’s Australian representative) in April at a ceremony in Government House in Perth.

Please read about Darren’s award here. and his ambulance work in Western Australia here.

Darren has made many contributions to AFS where he worked in the area of Systems and Programs between 1994-1999. In 1997 Darren has been honored with the first Scott Ramey AFS Spirit Award for his commitment to the mission and ideals of AFS. He served with AFS Thailand before coming to New York.

Around 1997, Darren decided to follow the humanitarian tradition of the AFS ambulance drivers and make saving the lives of others his life’s work. He became an emergency medical technician driving ambulances in New York City’s Queens borough communities of Astoria, Jackson Heights and Elmhurst. Following his return to Australia, Darren joined emergency ambulance service and started working with St. John’s Ambulance in Western Australia in 1999. During the last ten years he was posted in Kalgoorlie, Wyndham and Kununura and served as station manager in Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

Always an AFS volunteer, Darren is currently Chair of AFS Western Australia.

Many congratulations on the recognition you so richly merit, Darren!

You’ve made your lifetime dream of helping people come true!