The new Fairy Meadow ambulance station at the University of Wollongong Innovation Campus. Photo: Ryan Park.
Fairy Meadow’s new ambulance station will be operational before Christmas, according to Health Minister Ryan Park.
Construction of the station is now complete and the keys have been handed over to NSW Ambulance paramedics.
On Friday (15 November) NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park said the station would be operational “in the coming weeks”.
“The new ambulance station will also provide paramedics with a high-quality base with the latest facilities and equipment to meet the current and future emergency care needs of the local community,” he said.
“The NSW Government is committed to investing in rural and regional health infrastructure to support better health outcomes for local communities.”
The modern, purpose-built ambulance station, which is co-located at the University of Wollongong’s Innovation Campus, features internal parking bays including an internal wash bay, administration and office areas, staff rest facilities, a gym, logistics and storage areas, and on-site parking.
An additional 25 paramedics have been recruited for the new ambulance station.
The new ambulance station is being delivered as part of the NSW Government’s $232 million Rural Ambulance Infrastructure Reconfiguration (RAIR) program.
The RAIR program is delivering 54 new or upgraded ambulance stations and is the single largest infrastructure investment in regional NSW Ambulance’s almost 130-year history.
New ambulance stations are also planned at Warilla and Unanderra to bolster the network of stations across the Illawarra as part of the NSW Government’s $615.5 million NSW Ambulance Infrastructure Program.
Member for Wollongong Paul Scully says Wollongong’s growing population means investment in health services is essential.
“I’m pleased Fairy Meadow’s first ambulance station is nearly complete and look forward to the day when paramedics move into this state-of-the-art facility and add to the local ambulance network,” he said.
“As Wollongong grows, it is important that we invest in health infrastructure to meet the needs of the local community.”
To find out more about the proposed stations at Unanderra and Warilla, visit the Health Infrastructure website.
Original Article published by Zoe Cartwright on Region Illawarra.
