weekender the western
Printed on 100% recycled paper
FRI 20 JUN 2014 • Issue 1158
Fate’s in the cards
PROUDLY INDEPENDENT
Business Advice, tips and profiles on the best local businesses p.30-31
Our super station
NSW Budget delivers new paramedic base for the “forgotten” service CASSANDRA O’CONNOR
World Series of Poker Back page
Police vehicle smashed p.10
Outback challenge Students show off their cooking skills p.22
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T
hey are the unsung heroes that come to our aid, but even paramedics need a helping hand now and then. That’s why the State Government is spending big in Penrith to deliver a brand new “super” ambulance station as part of their 2014-15 budget. Member for Penrith Stuart Ayres said that this is the first time in 16 years that a new ambulance station will be built. “Ambulance officers have been one of the forgotten services. We are creating five new super stations, which is part of the NSW Ambulance Strategy. It’s going to be a whole new world for them,” Mr Ayres said. The State Government has selected 141 High Street, which is currently owned by Penrith Council, as the location for the new station. “This is a strategic location because paramedics will be close to Nepean Hospital, have east-west access along the Great Western Highway and north-south access along the Northern Road. They will control the traffic lights too,” he said. Penrith paramedic, Superintendent Jason Stone said the new station would be an amazing boost for staff morale. “The new facility will be able to cater for 150 staff of all levels, from trainees through to specialist paramedics and will have up to 45 vehicles. It’s definitely going to improve our response times,” Mr Stone said. “It is going to be a fantastic new, one-stop shop for us, including an engineering workshop for our vehicles, and training facilities – currently the closest training facilities are in Mt Druitt.”
Jason Stone and Stuart Ayres at Penrith ambulance station. Inset: The new look ‘super’ hub
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