THE new purpose-built Sawtell Ambulance station on Sawtell road next to the Fire and Rescue station has been officially opened on Friday May 14.

NSW Ambulance Assistant Commissioner Clare Lorenzen joined with Coffs Harbour local member Gurmesh Singh and Deputy Mayor George Cecato to formally declare the facility open.

NSW Ambulance Assistant Commissioner Clare Lorenzen said local paramedics were involved in the design of the new station.

“These state-of-the-art facilities will allow our paramedics to continue providing top quality emergency medical care to patients when they need it most,” Ms Lorenzen said.

The new station has come about as part of the NSW Government’s $232 million Rural Ambulance Infrastructure Reconfiguration (RAIR) program.

The new purpose-built Sawtell Ambulance Station includes:

• internal parking for up to six emergency ambulance vehicles
• administration and office areas
• staff amenities
• multipurpose meeting/training room
• logistics and storage areas
•    relief accommodation
• internal wash bay
• staff parking
• sector office – locating local management under one roof.

Acting Zone Manager for the Ambulance Service on the Mid North Coast Tania Somani said that often Ambulance facilities are not entirely suitable, or have become cramped due to expansion, but that this new station has, “Finally given us a station with the footprint to manage local services extremely well.”

The station has been operational for two weeks prior to the formal opening and is proving to be beneficial for both paramedics and Coffs Coast residents.

The RAIR program is the largest investment in regional NSW Ambulance’s 126-year history, with 24 new or upgraded ambulance stations already delivered or under way as part of the $132 million Stage 1. Another $100 million in ambulance assets is being delivered under Stage 2.

In 2020-21, the NSW Government is investing more than $1 billion in services and capital works for NSW Ambulance.

This includes $27 million funding for 180 new Ambulance staff across NSW, the third tranche of the June 2018 commitment to recruit 750 additional paramedic and control centre staff over four years.

 

By David TUNE