Five full-time paramedics have been assigned to the station and they began operating from the $1.5 million facility on Wednesday.

The full-time staff are being supplemented by seven trained volunteers, after an initial plan by NSW Ambulance to have only three staff was overturned.

The Australian Paramedics Association (APA) took its concerns to the Industrial Relations Commission and was successful in having the number of full-time paramedics increased from three to five.

Former Member for Cootamundra Katrina Hodgkinson had also backed the call to have five paramedics rather than three.

A spokesman for the APA told The Daily Advertiser that the original plan for three paramedics would have seen call-outs attended by a full-time NSW Ambulance paramedic and a volunteer, a proposal the union opposed.

He said the APA was happy with the outcome, which saw two additional full-time paramedic positions added to Coolamon’s contingent.

“Having the trained volunteers does mean the station will never be unattended if the crew happens to be out of town,” the spokesman said.

NSW Ambulance has more than 300 qualified volunteers working to support paramedics across the state. 

Chief executive of NSW Ambulance, Commissioner Dominic Morgan, has visited the new station to wish the staff well for their first shift.

“The commencement of operations today at Coolamon represents a great enhancement to NSW Ambulance resources in this region,” Commissioner Morgan said.

“In the past 24 hours Coolamon has gone from no locally based paramedic resources, to having its very own operational ambulance station,” he said.

“I wish our staff at Coolamon the very best as they settle into operations in coming weeks and months.

“I am confident that together, our permanent and qualified volunteer staff will work collaboratively, professionally and diligently to provide exceptional out of hospital emergency medical care to the residents of Coolamon and surrounds.”

While Coolamon’s new station becomes operational, plans are being made for an open day the new Wagga site.

It will be held at the $4.4m Fernleigh Road station on December 6, from 10am until noon.