Our local paramedics in Calliope, QLD, are shouldering a burden that is not just tiresome but also dangerous. They work around the clock, eight days in a row, responding to emergencies alone. The current hours of operation for a two-officer response at Calliope Ambulance station is only Monday to Friday, 8am-4pm, outside of these hours, there is only 1 single officer paramedic to attend to all ambulance 000 calls for the area. If they need back-up, it’s at least 20 minutes away. This is inadequate coverage for a community that depends on them 24/7. Not only is our community's safety at risk, but the well-being of our paramedics is also threatened due to lack of proper fatigue management which can impact their life-saving decision-making abilities. How do employees operating machines at mine sites have better fatigue management strategies than the ones we expect to save our lives? 

Australia has seen a significant increase in demand for ambulance services with a rise of about 24% in ambulance utilisation over six years (Productivity Commission Report, 2019). Our paramedics are on the frontline of this surge, each minute for them is crucial, and they need to be at their best. Not having a two-officer response during non-business hours and weekends is dangerous. Not having a two-officer response when there is need to administer life savings medication is dangerous. Not having a two-officer response is both physically and mentally fatiguing on our paramedics. And not having a two-officer response is not fair on our community. 

We urge QAS to establish a 24/7 two-officer response at Calliope Ambulance station immediately. Our community deserves better access to urgent care, and our paramedics deserve better working conditions for them to be able to make clinical decisions effectively.

It should also be noted that the Calliope Ambulance service covers the Boyne Valley, Burua, half way to Biloela, half way to Mount Larcom and down to Benaraby. Calliope paramedics are also frequently sent to Gladstone and Boyne/Tannum for urgent cases when there are no other crews available. This poor medical response affects everyone in the local region. 

Please sign the petition to support this urgent change in our community’s healthcare system. We owe it to our community's safety and to the wellbeing of our tireless paramedics.