Donation of $280k by grateful patient enables purchase of new ambulance

By Eliza Bidstrup

ABC Midwest & Wheatbelt

Topic:Emergency Services

Steven Petchell and Chloe Bell have welcomed a generous donation of more than $280,000 towards a new ambulance. (Supplied)

In short:

A grateful ambulance patient has donated more than $280,000 towards a new ambulance for their regional WA town.

The town of Koorda has five volunteer ambulance officers who travel up to 100km to attend call-outs.

The donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, said they wanted to show their gratitude for the local St John WA service.

In a town of 200 people, it is not often the Koorda ambulance sub-branch receives a $280,000 donation.

The anonymous donation came from a patient who made use of the ambulance's services in Western Australia's Wheatbelt region.

The large sum of money will mean the volunteers will be able to purchase a new ambulance.

The sub-branch has a team of just five volunteers and partner with the neighbouring Wyalkatchem sub-centre to turn out to more than 150 call-outs a year.

Kylie Burrell (left), Chloe Bell and James Holdsworth believe the new ambulance will bring pride to the town of 200 people. (ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt: Eliza Bidstrup)

Had to see it to believe it

Wyalkatchem Koorda sub-centre chairperson Steven Petchell said the generosity of the donation was difficult to fathom.

"I felt like I had to physically see the cheque to comprehend it," he said.

"I was blown away, the whole sub-centre was too.

Currently in WA, sub-centres are required to raise funds for new ambulances, with suitable ex-metro vehicles issued to the regions as part of an asset management program.

Steven Petchell says the new ambulance will come with improved safety and technology. (ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt: Eliza Bidstrup.)

Mr Petchell said once built and on the road, the new ambulance would provide a safer, more reliable workspace for ambulance volunteers.

"It will be a lot more ergonomic for the officers to work out of, and as technology improves, so does the safety of these vehicles our ambos are working out of," he said.

"The ones we get from Perth are still exceptional ambulances, but to get a new ambulance, you don't have to navigate the quirks of rattles, scratches and dents.

"It will see Koorda through for the next 10 years."

The Wyalkatchem Koorda St John WA sub-centre turns out to more than 150 call-outs a year. (ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt: Eliza Bidstrup.)

Volunteers worth more than cheque

In a statement provided to the ABC, the donor, who wished to remain anonymous, said the donation was a way of saying thank you to local ambulance volunteers.

"The reason we are donating this is not for praise or acknowledgement to us, but to our local volunteers," the statement read.

"We have unfortunately had to use the service, and the volunteers are worth more than the cheque written.

"A few years ago, we found out that the sub-centres are responsible for all repairs, maintenance and funding, and this really pushed us to donate to our volunteers."

St John WA is contracted by the state government to provide ambulance services through a mix of paid and volunteer staff.

A spokeswoman for the service said sub-centres were always supported if they did not have enough revenue.

Chloe Bell has been a local volunteer for the past four years. (ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt: Eliza Bidstrup.)

Koorda sub-branch volunteer emergency medical technician and administration officer Chloe Bell is one of five volunteers, and said the new ambulance would encourage more people to join the service.

"Engaging new members is the backbone to our survival," she said.

"We want the community to feel a sense of ownership over the new ambulance, and hope the donation can bring some education to how our sub-centres rely on donations and volunteers."

Mr Petchell said fundraising was an additional task volunteers were responsible for, with donations of any amount appreciated.

"This donation is exceptional, and we know that not everyone is in that financial position, but even when a pensioner comes in and donates $20, which to them is a massive amount of money, it all means so much to us," he said.

"It shows that people care about the service and what we provide.

The sub-branch said the new ambulance could take up to 18 months to be built and arrive in the community, at which time Koorda's current ambulance would be transferred for use in Wyalkatchem.

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