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31 Jul 2008

Helicopter, location locked in for Warrnambool air ambulance

Ambulance Victoria has signed a contract to secure a new helicopter to provide the emergency air ambulance service for the Warrnambool area.

The contract was announced at a public briefing updating the work done since the April 22 announcement that a dedicated air ambulance would be based in Warrnambool. The briefing also heard that Warrnambool Airport would be home for the operation.

General Manager of Operations, Keith Young, said that the announcement showed a commitment to delivering the new service by 1 July next year.

‘I am very pleased to be able to say we have reached an agreement with Australian Helicopters for the purchase of a brand new helicopter for the service,’ Mr Young said.

‘The helicopter will be coming direct from the production line and will be fit out exactly the same as the ambulance helicopters used in Bendigo and the Latrobe Valley.

‘On top of that we will also be basing the service at Warrnambool Airport, and while the exact location is yet to be determined these announcements mean we are on track to have the new service in place by the end of this financial year,’ Mr Young said.

It was also confirmed at the meeting that Ambulance Victoria will commence a training course for new intensive care flight paramedics early next year to assist staffing the helicopter.

Click here for a photo of what the new helicopter will look like.