When a call came across the scanner informing Darrell Thompson of an explosion at a Ravenshoe cafe, he initially thought "someone had burnt the toast and lost an eyebrow".

When he arrived, the scene that confronted Mr Thompson was the result of one of the most horrific explosions in Queensland history.

Twenty-three people were injured, including the driver of a ute which crashed into the cafe and two women who later died in hospital.

"When I got there you couldn't go into the cafe. It was totally destroyed," he said.

On Wednesday, Mr Thompson was named one of Queensland's top ambulance officers as a co-winner of the 2015 QAS's Commissioner's Achievement Award.

The paramedic of 12 years was the sole Queensland Ambulance Service staff member at the scene until back-up arrived about 20 minutes later.

He helped set up a makeshift triage outside the cafe, which had been decimated after the ute ploughed into gas bottles at the back of the premises and triggered an explosion.

It is believed the ute driver suffered a medical condition behind the wheel, leading to him veering off the road and into the cafe.

Mr Thompson said the close-knit town was still recovering from the June incident, but the mood was improving.

"It's part of the town now. Wherever you go, whoever you bump into and whoever you speak to - it always comes up," he said.

The advanced care paramedic said he knew about half the people injured in the explosion.

"I visited one of my patients the other day in a full burns suit. The only thing that's not covered is his face and he hates it. It's painful."

Queensland Health said one person remained in hospital.

The other co-winner of the QAS's Commissioner's Achievement Award was Gladstone Ambulance Station officer-in-charge Leia Spencer.

More than 80 people - mostly high achieving and long-serving ambulance staff - were recognised at the awards at the Kedron Emergency Services Complex on Wednesday afternoon.

They included Justin Tarr, a paramedic who spotted a woman clinging to a tree during flash floods north of Brisbane in May. The woman's car had been submerged minutes earlier and he was able to keep her calm until swift water rescuers arrived.

The "Young hero of the year" was 11-year-old Alex Gallen, who has called triple-0 several times in the last few years because his mother suffers from severe asthma.