St John plans ahead

It is still likely that Kununurra will have a fulltime paid ambulance officer by the middle of January.

Despite rumblings from the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union, St John Ambulance is confident a compromise will be reached.

The union is concerned that a fulltime officer might be compromised if volunteer backup was not available.

St John intends to install a 'remote rural paramedic practitioner' in the town.

St John management wants to place a single officer in Kununurra to assist in recruitment, retention, training and assisting volunteers to complete calls.

The position would also entail liasing with health professionals within the town and other community groups to promote the ambulance service.

The union claims concern about a single officer attending calls in a vehicle by themselves and the potential for breaches of the current 'guidelines', which require two officers to deliver any medications.

Presently, Kununurra police have been forced to man the service when volunteers were not available.

Although there is no shortage of trained volunteers in Kununurra, the treatment they receive from some sectors of the community and being used as a 'taxi' has turned many away from their volunteer efforts.