Alan Playford was a trailblazer in paramedicine with a storied career spanning more than 40 years. Photo: Mick Dawson.
Most Australians remember paramedic Alan Playford for his heroic rescue of Norm Duffy during the 1989 Newcastle Earthquake – a dramatic, high-stakes moment that thrust him into the national spotlight and became a lasting symbol of paramedic courage and dedication.
But for Alan – a pioneer in the field – it marked one (albeit significant) day in a groundbreaking, 40-year career that would reshape emergency care in Australia and beyond.
His extraordinary life, including his global work with Aspen Medical, is now captured in the memoir Through the Rubble.
The story begins long before that iconic moment in Newcastle.
Paramedicine wouldn’t be formally recognised in Australia for years, but Alan says its roots began in Sydney in 1966. He joined shortly after – though the term paramedic wasn’t yet used.
“We were called advanced life support,” he says. “It was created to reduce the number of people arriving at hospital deceased. If treated at the scene, they could be resuscitated and saved.”
Alan went on to establish the now-iconic Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, which has since saved thousands of lives.
As the service built momentum, it caught the attention of Aspen Medical founder Glenn Keys, who recognised the potential for paramedicine to go global.
“He saw it as a way to bring hospital care to the disadvantaged world,” Alan says. “He was always a visionary.”
Alan’s incredible life story, co-authored by writer Penny Keogh, is now in print. Photo: Penny Keogh.
A long and storied career followed. In 2004, Alan used his annual leave to travel with Aspen to the Solomon Islands and bring a level of care the likes of which remote places in the developing country had never seen.
“It revolutionised their survival chances,” he says. “Before, if there was a crocodile attack, people just bled out. Now we could bring IV fluids, pain relief, and evacuate them to intensive care.”
From the Solomon Islands to East Timor, and even Rwanda, Through the Rubble recounts often harrowing experiences: convincing armed child soldiers to stand down, rescuing aid workers during riots, and navigating conflict zones as part of Aspen’s international medical teams.
As Aspen expanded, so did Alan’s role. After nearly four decades in the ambulance service, he joined Aspen full-time, responding to emergencies across the globe – from the Wheatstone gas project in Western Australia to conflict zones in the Middle East.
There, as a person with an intimate understanding of battlefield casualties, he passed on the wisdom of “care under fire”, teaching those on the ground how to support bleeding patients.
“I’ll always respect Glenn. He had the vision to develop Australia’s paramedic capabilities and take them to the world. He sent teams to Africa during the Ebola crisis – I don’t know anyone else who’d do that,” Alan says.
“And the new CEO, Craig Fitzgerald was my boss for a time. You couldn’t ask for a better bloke: thoughtful, resourceful and genuinely appreciative.”
Through the Rubble is available through all major retailers. Photo: Alan Playford.
Not all of Alan’s work was overseas. Back home, he played a vital role during crises including the 2003 Canberra bushfires.
“I was part of SCAT – the Special Casualty Access Team. We were sent into high-risk situations, like vertical rescues off cliffs,” he says.
His calm presence in chaos earned him numerous bravery awards and widespread respect – a legacy now captured in print.
The idea for the book came while Alan was volunteering with BlazeAid in the Snowy Mountains after the Black Summer bushfires, when writer Penny Keogh approached him.
“She said, ‘I’ve been researching your life and would love to write your story.’ I hadn’t considered it before. Penny’s a wonderful wordsmith. All credit to her.”
Through the Rubble is now available for purchase through all major book retailers.
