Pride of Guernsey: Sonia Guille

GUERNSEY’S first female paramedic has been nominated for a Pride of Guernsey award.

Sonia Guille was put forward for the Rossborough Insurance-backed Emergency Hero of the Year award by St John Emergency Ambulance Service chief officer Ali Marquis.
She said that Sonia started working for the St John Emergency Ambulance Service in 1994.
‘She started with the patient transport service before becoming an EMT and then qualifying as Guernsey’s first female paramedic,’ Ms Marquis said.
‘Sonia has been a station officer since 2004, combining being a team leader and incident officer with being an operational paramedic. In 2016 she was awarded a long service and good conduct medal.
‘She has attended numerous life-threatening emergencies, medical incidents, falls, road traffic collisions, incidents at sea, cases involving children and traumatic injuries. Like all her fellow paramedics she is highly skilled, professional and caring in her approach. However despite years of experience, Sonia had never delivered a baby until a few months ago.’
Earlier this year Sonia was woken from her sleep in the early hours and called into work.
‘It was a busy time when all the on-duty crews were already dealing with incidents,’ Ms Marquis said. ‘Sonia was dispatched to a mother in the late stages of labour. She responded alone in a car while another clinician followed in an ambulance.
‘Sonia was first on scene and delivered the baby on her own, within minutes of arriving at the house and before a midwife arrived. Sonia looked after the mother and baby until ambulance colleagues and midwife arrived to assist.’
‘During the past 12 months Sonia has received a number of messages of thanks from patients, including appreciations for her prompt and professional care, excellent treatment and reassuring and considerate manner.’