Paramedic Harriet Moore honoured for heroic care during fatal ambulance crash
Harriet Moore received the Commissioner's Conspicuous Service Medal for commitment to her patients. (ABC Illawarra: Justin Huntsdale)
In short:
NSW South Coast paramedic Harriet Moore has received one of the highest industry honours for continuing to care for patients after a fatal, high-speed crash involving her ambulance.
Ms Moore suffered a broken foot and bruised ribs, but managed to treat her partner and two patients.
NSW Ambulance Commissioner Dominic Morgan says Ms Moore is truly worthy of recognition.
Paramedic Harriet Moore was injured in a high-speed head-on crash on the New South Wales South Coast in May 2023, in which the driver of the other car died at the scene.
Despite her injuries, she continued to provide care, helping her partner, a paediatric patient and their carer out of the badly damaged ambulance before checking the other driver.
"I remember all of it … the airbags going off … looking down to see my partner who was [originally] in the back with the patient lying next to me in the front between the seats," Ms Moore said.
"The other driver was in cardiac arrest … had significant bleeding from facial injuries, and I didn't believe there was anything I could do to save their life."
Broulee local Harriet Moore, 37, was driving the ambulance when the crash occurred in May 2023. (ABC Illawarra: Justin Huntsdale)
The 37-year-old paramedic was driving the ambulance from Narooma to Moruya Hospital when the other car "didn't take the bend, crossed the road and crashed at 100 kilometres an hour", she said.
"No-one turns up to work and thinks they are going to be in an accident and need their own services which is what happened."
She said one of the situation's biggest challenges was knowing when to use her professional skills.
"Once I did my own assessment, I knew in order for us to get help, I had to switch back to being a paramedic to update our control centre … so they could dispatch the correct resources," Ms Moore said.
"When that was done, I could finally sit down and take a breath."
Wife among responders
Simon Douch, stationed at Narooma at the time, was the first to respond to Ms Moore's radio call.
Simon Douch was stationed at Narooma Station at the time of Harriet Moore's crash and has since relocated to Oak Flats. (ABC Illawarra: Justin Huntsdale)
"She sounded quite distressed, which was unusual, so we knew the best thing was to get to the crash scene as soon as possible, which was 10 minutes away," he said.
"The seriousness of the incident became pretty clear pretty quickly."
Ms Moore's wife was among the crew on the two responding ambulances and helicopters, which she said, "added another level of emotion and difficulty to what had happened".
Mr Douch said the crew worked together to administer first aid to all involved.
"Harriet did an absolutely incredible job until that point. Like being in a collision, but still having the clarity of thought to treat other people in such a methodical way," he said.
Harriet Moore received the Commissioner's Conspicuous Service award for rendering care during a car crash she was involved in three years ago. (ABC Illawarra: Justin Huntsdale)
"It'll be something I'll remember forever."
Ms Moore, who sustained a broken foot and bruised ribs, and her injured colleague were flown by helicopter to Canberra Hospital for further treatment.
The paediatric patient and their carer had only minor injuries.
Award from paramedic boss
This month, Ms Moore was awarded one of NSW Ambulance's highest honours, the Commissioner's Conspicuous Service Medal, at the Regional NSW Ambulance Awards Ceremony at Wollongong's WIN Stadium attended by dozens of friends, family and colleagues.
Harriet Moore receives her honour from NSW Ambulance Commissioner Dominic Morgan. (NSW Ambulance: Adam Yip)
NSW Ambulance Commissioner Dominic Morgan said Ms Moore was truly worthy of recognition.
"It's an extraordinary story of being injured in a motor vehicle accident that could have taken her own life … and being able to balance that between her own emotions versus the care of patients," Dr Morgan said.
Dominic Morgan says the awards ceremony is one of his favourite days of the year. (ABC Illawarra: Justin Huntsdale)
"It sounds like the rest of the team showed up and did an equally incredible job of supporting her and managing this complex scene."
Ms Moore said the awards ceremony was tough as she tried to "hold back tears … remembering somebody lost their son".
"It's still an emotional situation … I just turned up to work, was involved in a car accident and needed an ambulance,"she said.
"I don't think that warrants a medal, but it is what it is."