Ambos ready for 24-hour duty

– Paul Dunlop
PAKENHAM’S ambulance station is to be upgraded, with the potential to become a 24-hour base with paramedic teams on duty at the Main Street station around the clock.
The State Government budget included plans to improve the local service.
But paramedics are still waiting more detail about what the $320,000 boost will involve.
Area manager Andrew Watson said another six paramedics would be employed at Pakenham, staffing the station overnight.
Currently, the station is manned during the day with paramedics on call at night.
Ambulance services at Cranbourne were also to be upgraded as part of the budget boost.
Pakenham ambulance station is one of the busiest in the Melbourne metropolitan area, receiving up to 180 call-outs a month at the busiest times of the year.
Pakenham team manager Simon Thompson said the budget boost was welcome news.
He said the announcement would form the basis for discussions about the best way to provide improved ambulance services to residents in the Pakenham district.
It is understood other options such as a new peak-period unit that would bolster the service at key times may also be canvassed.
Mr Watson said the budget boost would help to reduce response times. Services at Cranbourne North are also to be upgraded.