Essendon Fields has achieved a major milestone in the transformation of its iconic Terminal building with the completion of the final stage – the Bell Business Centre – and Ambulance Victoria officially taking over as the anchor tenant of the redevelopment.

Ambulance Victoria have taken over 1,007 square meters at the southern end of the Terminal building, which has become its Essendon Fields Operations Centre and will be used for a range of services including Adult Retrieval Victoria (ARV) and the Victorian Stroke Telemedicine (VST).

Ambulance Victoria already operates its Air Ambulance aviation division from a state-of-the-art hangar at 12 Global Avenue, Essendon Fields, and the emergency services leader thought it made operational sense to co-locate other facilities also to Essendon Fields.

“The new state-of-the-art office space at Essendon Fields is fantastic. The proximity to Air Ambulance and the preference for co-location were the main drivers for the move, but the opportunity to relocate into the Terminal building has provided much needed space and the proximity required,’’ said Michael Wells, Ambulance Victoria’s Adult Retrieval Operations Manager.

“The new building and fit out has allowed the teams at Ambulance Victoria greater functionality operationally with the inclusion of a training and simulation room, a mix of office space and hot desks as well as meeting rooms. The location also affords better aesthetics of the airfield and Essendon Fields precinct,’’ he said.

“The space has already allowed for more staff from across Ambulance Victoria to be present and it’s envisaged that further expansion is possible at this exciting location further supporting our operational capability.’’

The move brings together the AAV and ARV teams into a central location to improve operational collaboration.

Mr Andrew Keenan, Ambulance Victoria’s Director Complex Care (Specialist Operations & Coordination), said the ARV and VST are vital healthcare services helping hundreds of Victorians each year and now both are able to operate from the Essendon Fields Operations Centre.

“ARV provides state-wide critical care clinical advice and coordinates the transfers of critically unwell patients from across the state. In addition to these core functions, ARV is a central part of the state trauma system, supporting the retrieval coordination of major trauma patients as well as providing clinical expertise,” said Mr Keenan.

Pictured above: Mr Andrew Keenan, Ambulance Victoria’s Director Complex Care (Specialist Operations & Coordination)

Meanwhile, Ambulance Victoria’s VST is a life-saving service which allows stroke patients, particularly in regional locations, to get the care they need much faster. This 24/7 virtual service links 19 Victorian hospitals and three Tasmanian hospitals to a network of expert neurologists who can review patient brain scans and provide quick diagnosis and support local hospital staff to deliver time-critical clot busting treatment.

Pictured above: Ambulance Victoria’s Essendon Fields based VST team.

“The terminal is a heritage building, steeped in history,” said Essendon Fields CEO Mr Pihan of the building, which opened in 1959.

“But buildings change over time, and so often do their uses. As aviation demand has changed, and Essendon Fields has continued to evolve it makes sense that buildings like this are repurposed and renewed. Some lucky customers including Ambulance Victoria now get to call the Bell Business Centre home, named after Greg Bell, one of the airport’s most loved business operators who tragically lost his battle to cancer in 2018,” he said.

“Ambulance Victoria is one of Victoria’s most critical emergency service providers and we welcome them to the building, alongside the critical role they have played with their Air Ambulance operations for many years at our airport. And with their arrival we are now proud to confirm the completion of this very successful stage three redevelopment which ensures this heritage protected building will have another lease of life for many years of operation and satisfied occupancy.”