By JESSE GRAHAM
HEALESVILLE will have a new Ambulance Victoria branch by the second half of the year, with construction underway and a slab set to be laid next week.
The new ambulance branch, which was announced in late 2014 by Eildon MP Cindy McLeish began construction recently, with a goal of running two crews out of the Westmount Road headquarters by August.
When the Mail visited the site with Ms McLeish on Friday 26 February, workers were levelling the site, and Metcalfe Reidy builder Peter O’Heare said the concrete slab would be laid in the coming week.
He said the branch was expected to be completed by August.
Ambulance Victoria’s Metropolitan East Regional Director Cath Anderson said the new branch would replace one that had sat on the site since 1977.
“The new facility will be purpose built, and feature a training room, drive-through garage and improved amenities and rest areas,” Ms Anderson said.
She said that, during construction, a 24-hour ambulance crew was based out of the Chum Creek CFA station and that a 12-hour, peak-period unit named Coldstream has been based from Lilydale since 2014.
The two crews, and a senior team manager, will be based at the Healesville branch once it is complete.
“We know our paramedics are excited about the new Healesville branch and looking forward to starting work there.”
Ms McLeish said that she was excited about the construction getting underway, and noted that the finished branch would be just metres away from the Healesville and District Hospital, which is being redeveloped.
She said she hoped that having the two ambulance crews operating from the branch would improve response times in the Yarra Valley.
“Obviously, with the growth and the number of incidents, is the reason why there’s been an increase in ambulance hours,” she said.
“Having that second crew down at Lilydale or Coldstream is still 20 minutes away – if one vehicle is tied up, then you’ve got another in the valley that’s closer.
“I don’t think it’ll just help Healesville, I think it’ll help the wider valley.”
