As the Johnston Street ambulance station approaches it’s 90^th year in use, the state-of-the-art replacement on Fernleigh Road, Turvey Park is in the final stage of the fit out and commissioning process.

A New South Wales ambulance spokesman was confident of exceeding the target of opening within the first half of the year, by becoming fully operational next month. 

“Construction of the new $4.4 million Wagga Wagga Ambulance Station has been completed, with the station on target to become fully operational in March, following an extensive fit out phase,” the spokesman said. 

“Wagga Wagga is the first station to be completed as part of the NSW Government's $122 million Rural Ambulance Infrastructure Reconfiguration (RAIR) program, which will deliver 17 upgraded, rebuilt or new ambulance stations to regional and rural communities across NSW.”

Construction of the building was complete in October last year.

The Daily Advertiser understands the most time-consuming exercise involved in preparing the building for everyday use was connecting the fibre-optic phone lines, which has recently been completed. 

The station has 14 ambulance vehicle bays, a zone office, a fleet maintenance workshop and advanced training complex for paramdeic education and practice.

It is believed the station will boost efficiency and collaboration by accommodating a range of frontline and support services in one location, including a mechanic workshop to service the vehicles.

Local ambulance officers delivered 2,185 patients to Wagga hospital between July and September last year, which was 119 fewer than the same quarter the year before.

Between July and September 2016, it took an average of 11 minutes between the arrival of patients at the emergency department by ambulance and the transfer of responsibility for their care from paramedics to emergency department staff.

The transfer of care time was four minutes faster than the same three-month period in 2015.

Paramedics claim the new facility reflects modern healthcare far more than the current 89-year-old station.