Minister visits paramedics and ambulance workers on Thursday Island

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Yvette D’Ath today met with paramedics and ambulance workers at the Thursday Island Ambulance Station.

Minister D’Ath praised the hardworking team for their role in providing first class ambulance care to residents in the Torres and Cape.

“The Palaszczuk Government has invested $2.8 million in a state-of-the-art replacement Thursday Island Ambulance Station which became operational in March 2018,” the Minister said.

“The station is home to eight staff, including two indigenous cadets, and has three ambulance vehicles.

“In 2019-20, Thursday Island paramedics responded 921 times to patients in need, working in one of the most unique environments a Queensland paramedic can work in.

“They’re highly skilled and most paramedics working on Thursday Island are trained to fly on a rescue helicopter. “They often find themselves responding on the helicopter across the whole Torres Strait and down into the northern tip of the Cape York Peninsula.

Member for Cook Cynthia Lui paid tribute to the hardworking ambulance staff on Thursday Island.

“TI’s hardworking paramedics and ambulance workers are a crucial part of the Torres and Cape health network,” Ms Lui said.

“I want to thank these workers for their outstanding service to the local community.

“The Thursday Island Ambulance Station has also established a link with the community through an Indigenous Paramedic Program which has successfully hosted several cadet officers.

“This program provides a supportive educational pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to emerge as fully-fledged advanced care paramedics.

“Our paramedics and ambulance workers proudly put on their uniform day in, day out for the community and I’m pleased to see them operating out of this wonderful, modern station in beautiful Thursday Island.”

Media contact: Martin Philip 0407 675 008