Snowy Mountains paramedics left freezing after Ambulance NSW denied them winter uniforms

When it started snowing on Friday, John Larter's fury reached new heights.

The Tumut paramedic and his colleagues are expected to respond to emergencies throughout the foothills of the Snowy Mountains and up into the high country wearing nothing warmer than a standard uniform.

NSW Ambulance Service Paramedic based at Tumut John Larter. Credit: Mark Jesser

Paramedics in Jindabyne and Perisher Valley are issued alpine equipment including heavy jackets, balaclavas and ski gloves.

But their neighbours in Tumut, Batlow and Tumbarumba are entitled to one pair of thermals, cotton pants and shirts and the same jacket that is worn in Sydney, though they respond to emergencies from the Selwyn skifields to Cabramurra, which is the highest above sea level populated town in Australia.

"It's a joke, isn't it," Mr Larter said. "We only need to drive 10 kilometres out of Tumut and we're in the absolute extreme."

There are six paramedics at Tumut, four at Batlow and five at Tumbarumba.

Twenty years ago they were issued with Gore-tex equipment, but Mr Larter wrote to the Ambulance NSW chief superintendent requesting new gear when he realised it was falling apart and would not last another winter.

Mr Larter requested cold weather gear on June 2, but southern sector chief superintendent Brian White replied in an email seen by Fairfax Media: "Prior to approving any request for cold weather clothing to the three stations I will need to know the number of times they have been dispatched to the snowfields over the past three years."

Mr Larter said this indicated a disregard for paramedic safety.

"How many times would aircraft pilots need to have engine failures before ejection seats are fitted?" he said.

"We would go there three or four times a week at least. Or we could get called to someone fallen in the Tumut River or a truck accident and spend three or four hours trying to rescue someone out of a wreck."

Possibly more concerning, he said, local paramedics were not given the training in abseiling, how to survive alpine environments and remote access that was afforded to metropolitan paramedics.

But NSW Ambulance said in a statement that it had received no written requisitions from Tumut paramedics for additional cold weather clothing such as that worn by the specialist snowfields team.

All paramedics were issued with cargo pants, fleece jackets, rainwear and operational jackets, and beanies and thermals could be requested and were covered by the service, a spokesman said.

Staff also had periodic opportunities to do Special Operations Team training, he said.

"These training opportunities occur on an as needs basis to ensure adequate staffing of NSW."

NSW opposition health spokesman Walt Secord said it was "ridiculous" that these paramedics were wearing summer gear and called on the health minister to intervene.

They should be given warm socks, gloves and snow vests at the minimum, Mr Secord said.

"Gear for paramedics in Byron Bay or Sydney is completely unsuitable and useless for someone providing emergency medical assistance in a blizzard," Mr Secord said.

"Unfortunately, there is a complete lack of common sense here from the state government."

Following inquiries from Fairfax Media, Health Minister Jillian Skinner said she had asked NSW Ambulance to look into more appropriate clothing for paramedics working in cold conditions.