The Mt Tomah Berambing Community Association held its AGM on 12 August and about 30 people attended. With the State electoral boundary running through Berambing, both the Blue Mountains State MP, Trish Doyle and the Hawkesbury MP, Robyn Preston, were there.
Both MP’s expressed support for the proposal which is for a new ambulance station to be built in Berambing, and for it to also serve as a Neighbourhood Safer Place during bushfire emergencies.
Support of our local MPs is crucial as we now need to present the case to the Minister for Health, Hon Ryan Park MP.
The Association noted that the previous minister for Health, Brad Hazzard, approved a second ambulance station in the Hawkesbury electorate, but its location was not decided.
“We are pressing for it to be in Berambing, as a logical midpoint between the existing stations in Richmond and Lithgow. This is the best way to maximise coverage and improve service response times for everyone along the BLOR.”
Having an ambulance station located 45 minutes away from the nearest hospital can offer several advantages including a significantly reduced response times in emergency situations. Also our aging population means an increased occurrence of medical emergencies.
A quicker response time can mean the difference between life and death for patients with critical medical conditions, trauma, or other emergencies. It would also be beneficial for disaster preparedness.
Ambulance staff stationed in the area can become familiar with local geography, road conditions, and potential challenges, allowing them to navigate efficiently and make informed decisions during emergencies.
The Ambulance Station could also double as a Neighbourhood Safer Place (NSP) in the event of bushfire emergencies. While Mt Tomah Fire Station is now an NSP, it doesn’t assist the residents of Berambing as the usual fire path divides these communities in two, making a need for an NSP at Berambing as well as Mt Tomah.