EMERGENCY SERVICES MINISTER INSPECTS NOOSA AMBULANCE STATION
Published Wednesday, 25 February, 2009 at 02:19 PM
Minister for Emergency Services
The Honourable Neil Roberts
A re-elected Bligh Government would maintain its commitment to rolling out a program of new and refurbished ambulance stations across the state, Minister Neil Roberts said today while visiting the Noosa Heads Ambulance Station.
Mr Roberts inspected minor refurbishment works currently underway at the station which include the replacement of the kitchen and floor coverings.
“These minor works are the latest demonstration of our commitment to ensuring our ambos and firies have modern facilities and the resources they need to protect the community,” Mr Roberts said.
“In December I officially opened the new $2.1 million Coolum Ambulance station and in the past three months four new ambulances have been rolled out to stations across the North Coast region including Cooroy, Noosa, Coolum and Buderim at a cost of $595,000.”
Mr Roberts said Bligh Government funding will also see the number of ambulance officers in the North Coast region boosted by 40 this financial year.
This is on top of the 43 extra ambulance officers allocated to the region in 2007-08.
“The North Coast region has also been boosted by the allocation of 30 new ambulance vehicles last financial year and 28 this financial year,” he said.
Mr Roberts said the increases in staff and vehicles would ensure the ambulance service on the north coast could handle the ever-increasing demand.
“In 2007-08, the Noosa Ambulance Station responded to close to 3,600 code one and two calls for assistance and already this current financial year the station has responded to close to 1,900 calls,” he said.
“The Noosa Patient Transport Service has already responded to more than 200 calls for assistance this year, on top of the 530 last financial year.
“North Coast-based ambos have responded to calls for assistance with professionalism and determination.
“In 2007-08, the response times for the 50th percentile in the North Coast region was 8.7 minutes which is 51 seconds better than the national average of 9.55 minutes and 72 seconds better than New South Wales’ time of 9.9 minutes.
“That is a commendable effort for our North Coast ambulance officers and they should be congratulated and thanked.”
Media contact: Scott Chandler on 0488 096 204
Mr Roberts inspected minor refurbishment works currently underway at the station which include the replacement of the kitchen and floor coverings.
“These minor works are the latest demonstration of our commitment to ensuring our ambos and firies have modern facilities and the resources they need to protect the community,” Mr Roberts said.
“In December I officially opened the new $2.1 million Coolum Ambulance station and in the past three months four new ambulances have been rolled out to stations across the North Coast region including Cooroy, Noosa, Coolum and Buderim at a cost of $595,000.”
Mr Roberts said Bligh Government funding will also see the number of ambulance officers in the North Coast region boosted by 40 this financial year.
This is on top of the 43 extra ambulance officers allocated to the region in 2007-08.
“The North Coast region has also been boosted by the allocation of 30 new ambulance vehicles last financial year and 28 this financial year,” he said.
Mr Roberts said the increases in staff and vehicles would ensure the ambulance service on the north coast could handle the ever-increasing demand.
“In 2007-08, the Noosa Ambulance Station responded to close to 3,600 code one and two calls for assistance and already this current financial year the station has responded to close to 1,900 calls,” he said.
“The Noosa Patient Transport Service has already responded to more than 200 calls for assistance this year, on top of the 530 last financial year.
“North Coast-based ambos have responded to calls for assistance with professionalism and determination.
“In 2007-08, the response times for the 50th percentile in the North Coast region was 8.7 minutes which is 51 seconds better than the national average of 9.55 minutes and 72 seconds better than New South Wales’ time of 9.9 minutes.
“That is a commendable effort for our North Coast ambulance officers and they should be congratulated and thanked.”
Media contact: Scott Chandler on 0488 096 204