Geraldton is set to receive the Midwest's first off-road ambulance van in October.
asserted
Geraldton → set → October
It follows a year of advocacy from the family of a teenager who was paralysed after an accident on sand dunes.
asserted
who → follow → dunes
A Midwest shire president says the region's outback is still vulnerable without an all-terrain ambulance.
asserted
outback → say → ambulance
The family of a teenager who was paralysed after a motorcycle crash in an off-road area says the region's first four-wheel-drive ambulance is overdue.
asserted
ambulance → paralyse → area
St John WA said Geraldton, 420 kilometres north of Perth, is set to receive a Toyota HiAce four-wheel-drive ambulance in October — the first off-road paramedic van in the Midwest.
asserted
Geraldton → say → Midwest
Seven of the vehicles are positioned around regional WA, along with 14 troop carriers.
asserted
Seven → position → carriers
The Hipper family have advocated for the emergency vehicle since James Hipper, then 17, broke his neck and spine in a motorcycle crash at Geraldton sand dunes last year.
asserted
Hipper → advocate → dunes
An ambulance could not reach the accident, which was about a kilometre from the entrance to the dunes.
uncertain
which → reach → dunes
Instead, his sister Serenity Thorley, then 22, acted as a first responder.
asserted
sister → act → responder
"We were so far in dunes, we knew that no one was coming,"she
asserted
one → know → dunes
'One wrong move'
Ms Thorley said she and other young bystanders used a swag to lift James onto the back of a ute.
asserted
she → say → ute
She said she held his head still as they drove to hard ground to meet the paramedics.
asserted
they → say → paramedics
"Just the thought that one wrong move, had I not held him over a bump well enough, I could have lost him then and there,"Ms Thorley said.
uncertain
Thorley → hold → him
James was diagnosed as paraplegic, but the move did not contribute to the outcome.
asserted
move → diagnose → outcome
Ms Thorley said she had worried that moving the teenager made his condition worse, until a doctor confirmed the damage was done at the time of impact.
asserted
damage → say → impact
She and her mother, April Hipper, have welcomed the news that the coastal city will soon have an off-road ambulance.
asserted
city → welcome → ambulance
"I really do think it's been left to the wayside for too long," Ms Hipper said.
"
asserted
Hipper → think → long
At the end of the day, Geraldton is a vast coastline, and we're active people, people like to four wheel drive, people like to bike ride."
asserted
people → like → drive
Earlier this month, members of the public had to put shark attack victim Mel Ismail in the back of a ute and drive him from the beach to meet paramedics.
asserted
members → have → paramedics
While the new 4WD ambulance is positive news for the Geraldton area, concerns remain about responses to emergencies in the wider Midwest region.
asserted
concerns → remain → region
Mount Magnet Shire president Jorgen Jensen said that while most gravel roads were in "fairly good" condition, the large road network was susceptible to damage, making it difficult to traverse.
asserted
it → say → damage
"A four-wheel-drive ambulance would be invaluable," Cr Jensen said.
asserted
Jensen → say → ?
"It's really just another example of something that is needed and probably is going to take too long to adequately service.
asserted
that → need → something
"
Outer areas 'left behind'
Cr Jensen said the Royal Flying Doctor Service transported patients once they were in town, but getting them there could be a challenge.
uncertain
getting → leave → them
"Some of the shires nearby would be a bit more vulnerable as far as that goes, from some of their outer limits to get them into town or to a point where they can get medical attention," he said.
asserted
he → go → attention
Cr Jensen said the region missed out on many essential services, including medical support.
asserted
region → say → support
"I think the Midwest is a good area that gets probably a little bit left behind in some aspects, especially the outer Midwest," he said.
asserted
he → think → aspects
St John WA said it continually reviews its regional fleet requirements, taking into account operational demand, geography and local conditions.
asserted
it → say → demand
A state government spokesperson said there were 28 WA Country Health Service ambulances across the Kimberley, Pilbara and Midwest.
asserted
spokesperson → say → Kimberley
"Locations are chosen based on geography, population distribution, road conditions and health service need," they said.
asserted
they → choose → geography
The spokesperson said multiple agencies may respond to incidents in difficult-to-access areas.
uncertain
agencies → say → areas
The Aporia