NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner was in Griffith yesterday to make the announcement.

“I’m really thrilled to be here with my colleague Adrian Piccoli to officially tell him and the fabulous paramedics here that we are committing $4 million to provide a new ambulance station for Griffith,” Ms Skinner said.

She said the station was built in 1955 and had only undergone modest upgrades.

“Grifffith ambulance station has been serving its community since 1955 and it’s time for some TLC to give local paramedics a workplace they can be proud of,” she said. “This $4 million commitment forms part of a rural and regional ambulance infrastructure strategy which is seeing the upgrade of stations right across the state.”

Ms Skinner said planning was under way to investigate the best location and options for the new station.

“There are seven large vehicles that need to be accommodated so it will need to be a much bigger envelope than this,” she said.

“It’s highly likely to have a training room as well and all the modern technology you would expect.”

NSW Ambulance duty operations manager Andrew Long was delighted.

“It’s fantastic news,” Mr Long said. “It’s well deserved for all the staff here – they work very hard and it will be good for the community.” Member for Murrumbidgee Adrian Piccoli welcomed the announcement.

“What a great weekend for Griffith health services and the district with $4 million for the ambulance station, the turning of the sod for the $25 million private hospital and we’ve just finished a $1 million upgrade of the maternity ward at the community hospital,” Mr Piccoli said. “It’s all heading in the right direction in terms of health.”

Mr Piccoli said local paramedics were heroes.

“The new station will be a considerable improvement on the current facility and I look forward to updating the community on this project as it progresses,” he said.

He said the investment demonstrated the Baird government was committed to supporting paramedics.