Gympie Ambulance Service hosts its first open day

THE station opened its doors in 2007, so the day was a chance for staff to show the public what happens in the busy building.

THE Gympie Ambulance Service held its first ever open day at its "new" headquarters, on the corner of Alfred and King streets, as part of Ambulance Week, in which the Queensland Ambulance Service invited communities to join in the state-wide celebrations.

The Gympie station officially opened in January 2007, so the day was a chance for staff to show the public what happens in the busy building.

"It went really well," officer-in-charge Wayne Sachs said.

"We had 40 people looking through and almost half of them went through a CPR awarenees session."

The visitors enjoyed looking inside the vehicles used by the service as well as touring the station.

"It's not a bad starting point and we can build on that in future years," Mr Sachs said.

Pride of place was given to a 1924 Austin 20 replica ambulance, which Gympie Gold Mining and Historical Museum volunteers have restored from "a pile of rust".

Although not a genuine Gympie ambulance from the era, it has been faithfully recreated from photos taken of one outside the Gympie ambulance station of the 1920s.

Museum volunteer Allan Blackman said it has taken a few years - and about $8000 - to get it to where it is today, but it is yet to be registered so it arrived on a trailer.

It proved to be a popular exhibit on the open day.

Ambulance Week is celebrated in Queensland, September 7 - 11.

Commissioner Russell Bowles said it gave QAS the chance to recognise the achievements of staff and volunteers.

"Paramedics, emergency medical dispatchers and volunteers provide help and hope for Queenslanders, year round," he said.

"Ambulance Week is also an opportunity to meet the people behind the uniforms who keep loved ones safe and help them in an emergency."