All-hours ambo crew in Wallaroo a regional first

In a major boost to regional ambulance resources, SA Ambulance Service career paramedics will be based on the Yorke Peninsula 24 hours a day for the first time.

A crew of 12 career paramedics are to initially be based in Moonta from 14 July before they move to the Wallaroo Ambulance Station later this year, following completion of its major upgrade and expansion. 

Work is already underway on this station upgrade, which was pledged by the current Government back in 2022. 

It is expected to better support local emergency services and meet the needs of a growing team of local ambulance officers and paramedics. 

Wallaroo's newly deployed career paramedics will provide vital frontline services on a 24/7 basis, alongside the town's existing volunteer and Regional Medical Transfer Service  (RMTS) crews. 

A new Community Paramedic is also being deployed to the Yorke Peninsula this month, providing local health and wellbeing support across the region between 9 am and 5 pm, Monday to Friday. 

The upgraded Wallaroo Ambulance Station will feature a new training room to support local and regional volunteer ambulance officer training, made possible through a 90-square-metre extension, along with a new meals area, workstation and study space, crew room, two personal wellbeing and restorative break rooms, a linen room and other upgraded amenities and facilities. 

In addition to the new paramedics being temporarily based in Moonta, Wallaroo's volunteer crews will operate out of the SAAS Kadina Station and RMTS staff will work at the nearby Wallaroo Hospital until the upgrade and expansion is complete. 

"The volunteer ambulance model in regional South Australia is under enormous strain and the 12 new paramedics will make a huge difference in the Copper Coast region and beyond", Member for Narungga Fraser Ellis MP said. 

"It will ease the burden on volunteers and provide improved care to those in desperate need of emergency care."

SA Ambulance Service Executive Director Country Operations, Robert Tolson, said the new recruits will directly strengthen patient care and emergency readiness across South Australia. 

"I'm particularly excited about the new Community Paramedic role for the Yorke Peninsula", Mr Tolson said. 

"This role extends beyond emergency response to provide proactive health care -- offering wellness checks, chronic disease management and health education. 

"We've successfully implemented this program in Robe and Ceduna, and the positive impact on those communities has been remarkable".