United Voice News
Manjimup Bus Tragedy
Media Release - A bus accident near Manjimup has highlighted the extent of inadequate rural ambulance facilities.
A bus accident near Manjimup today has revealed the dire state of the ambulance service in rural Western Australia.
Although 14 ambulances crews and a rescue helicopter attended the accident, only a handful of the paramedics were not volunteers.
“Volunteer paramedics do a terrific job, but trained paramedics have greater skills and more resources available to treat people,” said LHMU assistant secretary Carolyn Smith.
“Why didn’t St John Ambulance send paramedics from Perth on a chartered flight?
“This terrible accident emphasises the enormous difference in quality of ambulance service and pre-hospital care provided in city and country areas.
“If Brendon Grylls is talking Royalties for Regions, he should be talking about the urgent need for more trained paramedics in rural areas.
“Country residents deserve the same level of care as city residents.”
