Long-time NSW Paramedic chaplain Les Fowler has recently retired after 22 years in the role.
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Mr Fowler had spent the majority of his time at Warren helping paramedics by providing non-judgemental support to ambulance staff and their families as well as bystanders who have witnessed incidents.
Chaplains also provide assistance in post-incident support and pastoral care whether it be at an incident, a workplace, a home or a hospital.
Mr Fowler said leaving the role was a bit emotional but he knows it is time for him to move on.
"It's a bit sad I suppose," he said.
"It's been 22 years of chaplaincy but there comes a time when you've got to pull back. We're moving to Dalby in QLD so it's a bit hard to do NSW work up there."
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Mr Fowler began as an ambulance chaplain in 1990 in the Hunter region while the role was a new concept with only a handful of chaplains in other parts of the state.
Mr Fowler then proceeded to move to Lithgow where he lived for four years in which he admitted things were not as busy as they are today in the area.
While he has worn a uniform recently, Mr Fowler was only allowed to wear the uniform on special occasions when we first started out in the role.
Mr Fowler said he knew it was going to be tough to leave Warren after so many years in the small town.
"It's sad to do," he said.
"We've made a lot of friends and met a lot of people. But there comes a time."
Senior chaplain with NSW Ambulance Paul McFarlane said he too will be sad to see Mr Fowler go after the pair have worked together for many years.
"I've been in the role and I've been a chaplain as well for 20 years," he said.
"So Les and I have shared a lot of common experiences.
"In more recent years when I became the senior chaplain, Les was often a real-sounding board for me and just a real person with steady wisdom and experience.
"I'm going to miss having him on the end of the phone just to give a quick call to and work out a solution together.
"But he has always been a great chaplain and his farewell the other night was a really good testimony to him."
Mr Fowler said he will miss the fellowship of all the paramedics he has worked with as well as the ambulance sense of humour which is 'unique' he added.
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