Yvette D’Ath visits refurbished Rockhampton Ambulance Station

After 18 months of work a multimillion dollar refurbishment of a key Queensland Ambulance Station has been completed.

Health and Ambulance Services Minister Yvette D'Ath visited the newly refurbished Southside Rockhampton Ambulance Station.

After 18 months of work gutting and refurbishing the South Rockhampton Ambulance Station, construction is finally complete.

The $7.7 million worth of upgrades were announced back in 2019, with tenders for the refurbishment opening in 2021.

Health and Ambulance Minister Yvette D’Ath was in Rockhampton on Wednesday to open the refurbishment to the station.

She was joined by Rockhampton MP Barry O’Rourke, Keppel MP Brittany Lauga and QAS Central Region Assistant Commissioner Robbie Medlin.

The upgrades include additional and improved training rooms, rest and study spaces, amenities and storage areas.

Health and Ambulance Services Minister Yvette D'Ath visited the newly refurbished Southside Rockhampton Ambulance Station.

Staff working in the operations centre, where triple-0 calls for the central region are taken, will move back into the facility next month once their IT fit out is complete.

Mr Medlin said the upgrades would put local paramedics and emergency call takers in “good stead” moving forward.

“The refurbishments provide staff with modern, functional amenities while delivering space for the growing operational, education and support teams to be based at the premises,” he said.

“The designs allow for emerging technology services into the future, training facilities and offices for clinical education staff, as well as a reconfiguration of spaces within the existing ambulance station to improve functionality.

“I highly commend all of our Rockhampton personnel for maintaining their high level of professionalism while responding to the Rockhampton community from alternate accommodation as these works were completed.”

Ms D’Ath said the refurbishment would ensure the ambulance station was “fit for purpose” and provided the most modern facilities for staff.

“We know our paramedics and operational staff do an extraordinary job,” she said.

“Our Queensland Ambulance Service staff play a critical role for local communities.

“We are supporting our frontline staff, and the Rockhampton community, by delivering this $7.7 million upgrade to both the Rockhampton Ambulance Station and the Operations Centre where triple-0 calls are co-ordinated from.”

She said in total the station housed more than 100 staff.

“We know that the operational centre is the lifeblood of our Queensland Ambulance Service, this operational centre here services here, Central West and up to Mackay and Bowen and out to the border,” she said.

The works on the upgrade took 18 months to complete with the inside of the station being completely gutted.

“It serves a very important job in dispatching the ambulances.”

Rockhampton MP Barry O’Rourke said he was pleased to see the refurbishment come to fruition.

“Our ambulance, operational staff and training staff now have access to world leading equipment which is really good,” he said.

“They do a wonderful job for our community and on behalf of the Rockhampton and Central Queensland community I want to say thank you to all the staff here, they do an amazing job.”

Keppel MP Brittany Lauga said the improved facilities were just one way the government showed they cared about their paramedics and the work they do.

“They have state of the art technology here now and all these improvements which will help improve efficiencies, which means paramedics and the comms centre staff can focus on the work that they’re passionate about doing, and that’s saving lives in our community,” she said.

During the visit a time capsule was also unearthed with some items, including newspapers, video tapes and photos from 1984 being taken out.

The capsule isn’t due to be fully opened for another couple of years and new items, including current QAS uniforms, masks and Covid RAT tests were put in for the future generations to discover.