ALPINE Shire residents are having to wait longer for an ambulance, according to the latest emergency response data from Ambulance Victoria.
Figures from October to December indicate AV paramedics responded to 217 Code one cases in Alpine Shire, with less than 42 per cent of responses falling within the benchmark 15 minutes.
The average response time was 23.56 minutes, which is an increase of 1:39 minutes compared to the last quarter and up 2:07 minutes compared to the same time the previous year.
AV paramedics responded to 187 Code two emergencies in Alpine Shire between October and December last year, with the average response time almost 14 minutes longer than the same time the previous year.
The data showed the average response times had gone from 39:30 minutes to 53:29 minutes.
Latest Stories
Statewide during October to December 2024, AV crews responded to 64.9 per cent of Code one cases within the 15 minutes target, with the average response time to all Code one emergencies being 15 minutes and 42 seconds.
AV executive director of regional operations, Danielle North, said demand on ambulance crews remains steadily high, with the last quarter of 2024 being AV’s fourth-busiest on record.
“We have seen a 26.6 per cent increase in Code one cases since the COVID-19 pandemic began more than five years ago,” Ms North said.
“October to December is commonly one of our busiest times, and last year was no exception as our crews were called to 99,799 Code one emergencies.
"This was the third quarter in a row close to or above 100,000 cases.
“In the face of this sustained pressure, our highly skilled paramedics and first responders do a remarkable job providing best care to their communities, each and every day.”
Hume region crews responded to 5837 Code one cases between October and December 2024, with the biggest improvement seen in the Mansfield LGA, where paramedics attended 50.5 per cent of Code one patients within 15 minutes, up from 43.7 per cent a year earlier.
Indigo Shire recorded the lowest percentage of Code one responses under 15 minutes, with just 22.6 per cent of 190 urgent responses meeting Ambulance Victoria’s benchmark in the most recent quarter, at an average response time of 24:36 minutes.
