‘Cheers to 88 years’: Harvey celebrates

New Harvey Station Manager Suleen van der Westhuizen, outgoing Chair Paul Beech, and former Harvey Sub Centre Secretary Jennifer Maughan cut the cake celebrating the history of St John WA in the regional town.

St John WA’s Harvey team has welcomed paid paramedics to the region for the first time in the sub centre’s 88-year history.

Harvey will now operate a new hybrid paramedic model, with the new paramedics already in town and on road.

It is anticipated the hybrid model will help improve ambulance response times and provide more support to the highly dedicated local volunteer base and broader community.

The additional paramedics have been funded as part of the State Government’s modernised contract with St John WA, and form part of the Cook Government’s broader commitment to boosting ambulance response capabilities in the bush.

“The State Government is delivering on our commitment to bolster ambulance response capabilities in country WA,” Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said.

“Harvey was identified as a priority area for us and now the community will benefit from more paramedic support than ever before.”

At a function celebrating the changes, volunteers from Harvey welcomed the new paramedics –Suleen van der Westhuizen and Cornelus van der Westhuizen –  and reflected on the proud history of the sub centre.

Gratitude was extended to the outgoing chairperson, Paul Beech, and the committee, and St John WA Board Member Jeffrey Williams presented volunteers with a pin and a gift to show the community’s appreciation of their efforts.

Mr Beech, along with Suleen and former Harvey Sub Centre secretary Jennifer Maughan, represented the past, present and future of St John WA’s Harvey footprint and cut the cake commemorating the history of the town.

Additional paid paramedics funded under the Labor Government’s plan to boost ambulance response capabilities in the regions are on-track to be in place by December 2023.

St John WA has 160 locations across regional Western Australia.

By December 2023, this will include 137 volunteer-only response locations and 23 hybrid stations with a mix of volunteer ambulance officers and career paramedics working side-by-side.

Revised ambulance service fees for hybrid locations can be found here.