Premier Daniel Andrews announces plans for much-needed upgrade at St Arnaud ambulance station

Built in 1969, the facility lacks adequate resources for a modern ambulance service.  

State Premier Daniel Andrews visited the facility and met with the town’s paramedics on Wednesday.

He discussed the facility and support paramedics needed to respond to life threatening medical emergencies, as work continued to acquire a site for the new ambulance station.

The state government is currently working with Ambulance Victoria and the St Arnaud community in securing a new site for the branch.

“The new St Arnaud ambulance station will make a huge difference to our hardworking and dedicated paramedics, allowing them to do what they do best, which is saving lives,” Premier Andrews said. 

The current branch will be replaced by a state-of-the-art station with spacious, functional garages for vehicles, and modern facilities for paramedics – including lounge areas, a kitchen, training rooms and amenities.

The new St Arnaud ambulance station is also part of the state government’s $500 million plan to improve ambulance response times, employ 450 more paramedics, buy new vehicles and build more stations across the state.

This investment, along with a further $26.5 million in the Victorian Budget 2017/18, is the largest funding boost delivered for Victoria’s ambulance services.

“In a medical emergency every second saves lives,” Premier Andrews said.

“That’s why we’re ensuring people in St Arnaud get the right to emergency care, quickly, when they need it.”

The announcement follows a 16 second improvement in ambulance response times in the Northern Grampians, according to latest Victorian health performance data. 

The region’s paramedics averaged a response time of 15.27 minutes in code one emergencies from April 1 to July 30- an improvement from 15.43 minutes in the last quarter of data released by Victorian Health.