AMBULANCE Victoria is responding to Code One incidents in Loddon communities a minute faster than a year ago, according to performance statistics released on Tuesday.
They showed there were 157 Code One calls in Loddon communities in the December quarter. 
In almost a third of incidents, the response was within the preferred 15-minute target and the average response time just over 24 minutes. Both statistics were one minute below the response times for the December quarter 2023 when there were also 157 calls. 
In the Loddon Mallee Region crews responded to 6175 Code One cases between October and December 2024. 
In the Gannawarra LGA, paramedics attended 42.1 per cent within 15 minutes – up from 38.9 per cent a year earlier. 
In Mildura, paramedics attended 87.3 per cent of Code One patients within 15 minutes – the second-best result in the state. 
Ambulance Victoria’s Loddon Mallee Regional Director Matt McCrohan said, “We know there is more work to do. AV continues to work with hospitals to promptly transfer patients and ensure all Victorians receive the right care at the right time. 
“More new paramedics have also hit the road to help meet demand. Since last November, we have welcomed 84 new graduate paramedics to our ranks and a further 15 new recruits will start soon.