Cr Gary Serhan raised the issue at this week’s Muswellbrook Shire Council meeting, calling on the council to lobby government for a new station.

Speaking with the Muswellbrook Chronicle on Wednesday, Cr Serhan described the condition of the 56-year-old station as ‘appalling’.

“I believe we are in an area with a growing workforce and our ambulance officers are busy and going back to facilities like that is a disgrace,” he said.

“Why would ambulance officers stay in Muswellbrook with appalling conditions - they can’t even put the vehicles underneath (the station) because they’re too tall to fit in.

“It’s falling apart.”

This is not the first time Cr Serhan has taken up the cause - he also raised the issue at a council meeting in September 2006, saying the ambulance service was vital to the community and staff should have a facility that served their needs.

At the time, the NSW Ambulance Service told the Chronicle the local station was on a five-year capital works program (which started in 2003) and was on the list for a broad range of internal and external refurbishment, with work to be done “as soon as funds become available”.

The building housing the Muswellbrook Ambulance Station was opened in 1953.

The Muswellbrook Chronicle has sought a comment from the NSW Ambulance Service, however was unable to get a response in time for publication.