Almost 500 new paramedics have joined into the ranks in NSW to deal with any potential surge in coronavirus cases.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The paramedics will be deployed across the state and go a long way to helping meet the demands of the community during these extraordinary times, NSW Ambulance chief executive Dr Dominic Morgan said.
Along with the 467 new paramedics, 89 new state-of-the-art ambulance vehicles will rolled out across NSW.
"We've brought an entire year's recruitment forward in the period of eight weeks," Dr Morgan said.
"We have 206 brand spanking new university graduates who've hit the road across NSW and we've inducted an entire reserve of university year-three paramedicine students so we're exceptionally well placed."
READ MORE
The new ambulance vehicles, that were part of a $17 million funding boost by the NSW Government, will be spread out across the state.
"As an organisation it's one thing to have the right number of paramedics, but without the supply of the new ambulance vehicles announced by the premier it would have been very, very difficult to get our staff where we actually needed them," Dr Morgan said.
"What this will do for our paramedics is literally give them state-of-the-art technology ... they're the most sought-after vehicles right across the world for emergency medical services.
"Not only are we going to have the best trained people out there for the community, they're going to have the best equipment as well."
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the new fleet will bring provide additional capacity across the state and ensure the health system can deal with any potential surge in COVID-19 cases.
"This is another step we are taking to ensure our health system is prepared for any spike in COVID-19 cases, especially as we ease restrictions and head into winter," she said.