Palaszczuk Government bolsters frontline emergency services across Qld

One hundred new Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) staff and more than 60 new Fire and Rescue appliances will soon boost frontline services across Queensland keeping our communities even safer.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Steven Miles and Minister for Fire and Emergency Services Craig Crawford made the announcement while visiting Roma Street Fire and Ambulance Station today.

“Our ambos and firies are on the frontline everyday saving lives and we know that in tough and often traumatic times they’ll have our backs,” the Premier said.

“I want them to know that my government has their backs too, that’s why we are making sure they have the resources and equipment they need to do their jobs.

“The additional 100 ambulance officers will soon take up their new jobs right across Queensland communities to help keep up with increasing demand from our growing and ageing population.

“The 61 new Fire and Rescue appliances, also destined for locations right across Queensland, is just the first round of the 180 new urban and rural fire appliances we’re delivering in our record $702 million QFES budget.”

Minister Miles said the Palaszczuk Government was delivering on its election commitment employing an additional 100 ambos.

“Our paramedics and other staff of the QAS do an incredible job, providing life-saving pre-hospital care to more than five million Queenslanders each year,” Mr Miles said.

“But we need to make sure they continue to provide the very best emergency care.

“Since coming to office in 2015, the Palaszczuk Labor Government has increased the ambulance operating budget by $211 million, funding approximately 508 additional ambulance officers. Additionally, the capital budget has provided 605 new and replacement ambulance vehicles (85 in 2018-19) across the State.”

Minister Crawford said the 180 new urban and rural fire appliances due in 2018-19 will go a long way in bolstering firefighting efforts right across the state and are on top of the more than 100 delivered under the government’s Capital Works program last financial year.

“That will be a statewide total of more than 280 over two financial years, and even better the appliances are completed locally, through Queensland-based companies,” Mr Crawford said.

“QFES will also determine the destinations for 119 new Rural Fire Service appliances due this financial year.

“The Palaszczuk Government – and QFES – is delivering on its commitment to community safety which is being reinforced through our $29.5 million four-year commitment to deliver 100 new firefighting jobs and 12 fire communications officers across the state.

“We realise just how vital it is that our frontline firefighters and volunteers have access to state-of-the-art equipment and infrastructure.”

Background:

QAS staff will be distributed across operational areas across Queensland where the highest demand had been identified and will include:

• station upgrades at Kuranda, Charters Towers, Childers, Clifton, Tewantin, Rosewood, Woodford, Dunwich, Beaudesert, Gracemere and Emu Park;
• 17 paramedics and an Officer-in-Charge (OIC) for a new 24-hour station at Pimpama;
• Indigenous Cadet positions for Kuranda and Dunwich;
• additional clinical support officer positions in the Wide Bay, Darling Downs, Mackay, Sunshine Coast, West Moreton, Metro North, Metro South and Gold Coast LASNs;
• additional clinical deployment supervisor positions in the Brisbane and Southport Operation Centres;
• the appointment of a mental health coordinator and another senior pharmacist; and
• additional OIC support positions for Toowoomba, Beenleigh, Southport and Ipswich.

Locations of QFES Fire and Rescueappliances (61) based on operational priorities are:

Brisbane Region – 15 / South Western Region – 12 / Far Northern Region – 10 / North Coast Region – 9 / South Eastern Region – 8 / Central Region – 6 / Northern Region – 1

*The locations of the 119 Rural appliances are yet to be announced.

Media contact:

Minister Miles – 0423 651 484

Minister Crawford – 0412 393 909