Ms Wilson, who has seen a lot of change, said she still enjoyed being able to help people during their time of need.

This week marked 30 years since women were allowed to begin working as paramedics in Victoria, and those contributing to the vital emergency service were celebrated.

Ms Wilson said when she first started out, she had to work extra hard.

“The guys didn’t know what to expect with females, I guess,” she said.

“We kind of had to prove ourselves along the way as far as lifting and whatever they could do, we had to be able to do.”

The experienced paramedic said no one was openly nasty, but there was some resistance to women working as paramedics.

Ambulance Services Minister Jill Hennessy said although women had only been allowed in the service since 1987, they had made a remarkable contribution in that time.

“It’s hard to believe that as recently as 30 years ago women couldn’t be paramedics due to unfair workplace regulations that prevented them from lifting more than 16 kilograms on the job,” she said.

Warrnambool-based Kate Pinkerton started her career as a paramedic 13 years ago in Melbourne, and said the thing she loved most about it was being out and about and meeting new people.

“Someone’s experiencing a pretty down day and you get to go in and help them and get them on the right track,” she said.

Ms Pinkerton said she studied with some of the first university-trained paramedics in a group that was roughly gender equal.

She said felt very at home within Ambulance Victoria, but community perceptions still lagged and people could seem surprised to see a team of women working.

“There’s still a way to go,” Ms Pinkerton said.