Yass Ambulance Station Manager, Paul Box was full of praise for his team’s new workspace.“It’s brilliant, we love it!”
“We had quite an old, antiquated building, that wasn’t purpose-built in the first place,” he said.
The station has been designed to maximise the station’s ability to support the community and provide a comfortable environment for staff who work a mentally demanding job.
Paul Box also identified that with the Yass Valley’s population growing at a rapid rate and with a team of paramedics that are already stretched, the station has been designed with the intention of leading to an expansion of staff in the future.
“The crew currently are in Canberra, so if another job came into Yass now, they’d either respond Boorowa or Harden.”
“You’ve got Murrumbateman, Binalong, Bowning, Gunning, there’s so many areas.”
“It’s been purpose-built for us to expand down the track with staff, the facility itself is designed to take 12 paramedics,” he said. Hopefully, a much-needed upgrade to Yass District Hospital will soon follow.
The new Yass Ambulance Station adjacent to the hospital on Meehan Street finally had its official opening on Friday. The gathering was originally delayed throughout the 2019/20 bushfire season, and then delayed further due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Member for Goulburn Wendy Tuckerman had the ribbon cutting honour at the ceremony held inside the parking and loading bay which is designed to house 4 response vehicles.
“The community should feel reassured with this new station that NSW Ambulance is dedicated to delivering high-quality treatment to patients across the region,” Mrs Tuckerman said.
“How exciting is it to be inside Yass Station to officially open it,” said NSW Ambulance DeputyCommissioner David Dutton.
The new and improved station features recreation rooms, a barbeque area, lounges, bed, conference rooms, restocking and recharging rooms, locker room, showers, office space and the ambulance garage bays.
Dutton also wanted to highlight the significant investment being made by the state government to ensure ambulance stations remain fit for purpose and in particular the efforts made in Yass.“
An investment the government has provided and continues to provide, to make sure the paramedics across the state of New South Wales, have modern, contemporary and fit for purpose facilities to operate from.”
“The Yass Ambulance Station represents in many aspects, the heart of the community, and a home away from home for our paramedics,” he said. Dutton also identified the two important opportunities being provided by the upgraded ambulance station in Yass.“
An opportunity to make sure the level of health care they will provide right across the community is modern and contemporary.”
“The opportunity for the paramedics to come back after a call and debrief with each other, and take a moment to relax,” he said.
Max O’Driscoll
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