The beginning of 2024 will see the official opening of the $8.5 million Ambulance Station, corner of West Avenue and Taylor Streets replacing the Bourke Street one, built in 1948 for £5,400.
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In October 1894 Dr Wrigley held lectures for to up to 20 candidates in an ambulance class and they practiced with railway ambulance appliances.
Our first ambulance after the litter type was believed to have been horse-drawn, and by 1923 this T-Model Ford ambulance - resembling a canvas canopied utility.
Later Ben Stocks was the honorary superintendent and 'Nipper' Paul instructed drivers in First Aid.
The Hospital Board held a public meeting in 1941 in a move to get 'a fast efficient ambulance service for the town'.
Sid Adams became the first superintendent in 1942, initially working on his own, and for his sterling work was invested with the insignia of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem as a serving Brother in 1959.
The 1942 the local ambulance committee consisted of Messrs. EA Byrne, Ben Stocks, C Smith, George A Strachan, R Warlters, Percy Jobson, Viv Briggs, WA Handley, J Irwin, A J StC Potter, Mesdames P Wood and MA Dann.
In October 1950 at the annual meeting of subscribers Superintendent Adams delivered a dire warning that to 'keep the Ambulance service functioning Glen Innes would have to raise over £2,000 in the town and district every year...
The Government subsidy paid through the Ambulance Board was £684, while the running costs of the service this year amounted to £2862/19/-...
Members subscriptions - £1423, collection boxes - £47, transport fees £309, life memberships subscriptions £84.
1266 cases had been treated - 218 accidents, 615 transport and 433 minor cases. Total mileage 14,349...'
The fleet then comprised one Dodge fully equipped ambulance car, one Ford V8 equipped ambulance car and one Oldsmobile coupe converted for the transport of stretcher cases and one cycle, plus one motorcycle for collecting purposes.
Many will remember those years of fundraising for our Ambulance service!
Glen Innes was the first country service to have a two-way radio, installed by 2NZ in 1946.
The first Air Ambulance flight carrying a patient to Sydney in in 1947 took 3 1/2 hours. In 2020 Paramedic John Adams retired after 45 years of his dedicated caring service in this community.
