AMBULANCE Victoria (AV) is applauding Victorians for saving ambulances for the state’s sickest people, with new data showing paramedics are responding 10 seconds faster to the most critically ill.
AV Acting Executive Director Regional Operations Michael Georgiou said demand for ‘lights and sirens’ ambulances fell by 3.5 per cent between April and June, compared with the same time last year, coinciding with an AV community information campaign to save paramedics for emergencies.
“April to June last year was AV’s busiest three months on record, with 102,419 Code 1 emergencies,” Mr Georgiou said.
“Across the same period this year, we’ve responded to 98,874 Code 1 cases.
“I thank our highly skilled paramedics and first responders who do a remarkable job providing best care to their communities, each and every day.
“We’re grateful to Victorians who are choosing to use alternative care for non-urgent issues—it means ambulances are available faster for emergencies. That community effort is helping us save lives.
“From April to June 2025, the state-wide average response time to Code 1 emergencies was 15 minutes and 27 seconds – down from 15 minutes and 37 seconds a year ago.
“There has also been an improvement in the percentage of Code 1 cases responded to within 15 minutes.”
During this quarter, AV crews across Victoria responded to 65.3 per cent of Code 1 cases within the state-wide target of 15 minutes, up from 64.2 per cent a year ago.
In the Hume Region crews responded to 5,503 Code 1 cases between April and June 2025, down from 5,623 last year, but up from 5,451 three months ago.
Compared with the same time last year, performance improved in 53 Local Government Areas (LGAs). The biggest improvements in the Hume Region were in the Moira, Mansfield, Strathbogie and Greater Shepparton LGAs and the major population centre of Kilmore.
In Kilmore, paramedics attended 72.2 per cent of Code 1 patients within 15 minutes, which is up from 67.9 per cent a year ago.
AV is urging people not to be complacent, with demand for emergency ambulances climbing again as winter illnesses spread through the community.
