New ambulance station for Riversdale

By Rhodé Marshall
01 April 2008

The Western Cape’s Department of Health as well as the Department of Transport and Public Works has opened a new ambulance station in Riversdale.

The Emergency Medical Service (EMS) on the Garden Route between Swellendam and Mossel Bay is believed to have become more reliable for those travelling on this popular route.

“It’s important that we do make the facilities and infrastructure available to our ambulance and ambulance staff. We’ve taken over the ambulance service from local government who in many cases didn’t upgrade any of the ambulance stations,” says Western Cape Health MEC Pierre Uys.

Uys says Riversdale was chosen because the ambulance station was in an old rundown building.

“We had to move them out there, improving the conditions but also the service. We increased the number of staff members and ambulances.

“Riversdale is one of the most important ambulance stations as it serves the communities of Riversdale, Heidelberg, Albertinia, and Still Bay but also very important the people travelling on the N2,” says the MEC.

Transport and Public Works MEC Marius Fransman says the new station took eight months to complete, costing the province R3.5 million. He says the new additions to the station will add to the health service in that area.

“An average of 450 missions and emergency calls monthly and 15 daily missions and emergency calls are logged. Five new and well equipped ambulances for emergencies and a Healthnet 25-seater bus for outpatients service the area,” says Fransman.