Capalaba ambos mark 21 years of service

CAPALABA paramedics marked 21 years of the Queensland Ambulance Service last Friday.

Community Safety Minister Jack Dempsey joined Member for Capalaba Steve Davies and the South East Area director Peter Chatman.

Mr Dempsey said the 21st celebration was a good excuse to praise the work of Redland paramedics, ambulance service staff and volunteers.

"For a century Redland paramedics have provided first class pre-hospital care in a very diverse region," he said.

"They are out there 24 hours a day providing emergency medical assistance to a population of 130,000 from North Stradbroke Island to Sheldon.

Mr Dempsey said he was a former Cleveland resident and saw the paramedics on a number of occasions responding to emergency calls.

"I used to travel extensively around the Redlands. It's a busy area. Last year the Capalaba ambulance station responded to nearly 5500 calls," he said.

Mr Dempsey also thanked the Local Ambulance Committee (LAC) for its work support.

"Behind any great ambulance station is a dedicated LAC," he said.

"LACs have been around as long as the ambulance service itself and these volunteers carry out everything from fundraising for extra lifesaving equipment to providing essential feedback to the QAS Commissioner and his executive."

Mr Davies said during the past 21 years the QAS had changed dramatically, being transformed into what could best be described as emergency departments on wheels.

"These days ambulances are equipped with cutting edge lifesaving equipment while paramedics are carrying out medical procedures that until recently were only undertaken by emergency physicians," he said.

South East Area Brisbane Region Area director Peter Chatman said the Queensland Ambulance Service had existed in various forms since 1892 but it was not until 1991 that the 96 regional brigades amalgamated.