Albury ambulance officers take concerns to city streets in bid to win public support for more staff

Up to seven are predicted to descend on Dean Street on Wednesday with flyers and a petition calling for more paramedics at Albury's ambulance station.

Their action follows Australian Paramedics Association Albury representatives telling The Border Mail last month they believed an extra 12 staff were needed to meet a growing demand.

Association member John McCormack said reaction to that article from the public had been upbeat and paramedics were keen to harness community support for their efforts to expand.

"We've never done anything like this before, no-one has done anything like it in Albury, but we see it as a positive thing to speak to the general public," Mr McCormack said.

"Since the article in The Border Mail we have had people speak to us and say they would like more information about the service and how it is running and how it is staffed."

The flyer to be distributed on Wednesday exclaims "Albury paramedics need your help!!" and states "paramedics are stressed and are feeling the effects of excessive work, and are concerned accidents will occur and our high standards effected if something is not done now by the government".

It says "Albury is regularly left uncovered due to crews being sent out of town to places such as Melbourne!" and "paramedics regularly work long hours in excess of 12 hours without a break!".

Mr McCormack said he wanted to attract 5000 signatures on the petition being unveiled on Wednesday.

"Wé're aiming to get the government's help by doing this petition and getting 5000 signatures to take to the local member for Albury and hopefully it goes up to the parliament," he said.

Paramedic Jeff Timbery, who first worked in Albury eight years ago, said he had noticed there was little down time working in the city after having been at Finley and Corowa in recent years.

"I would say it's a lot more consistent, whereas you would have a bit of down time now there's minimal breaks," Mr Timbery said.

"I think it would be a good idea to increase staff numbers, they have increased staff in rural areas and I think they need to do that in Albury."

NSW Ambulance told The Border Mail in September it believed the station was adequately staffed.

"The station has adequate staff to resource rostered day, afternoon and night shifts and to fill additional on-call night shifts as required," a spokeswoman said.

"Staffing numbers and rosters are monitored and altered if required in collaboration with management and staff."