Ambulance services of Victoria

Emergency ambulance services in Victoria are provided by three organisations: the Metropolitan Ambulance Service (commonly abbreviated to MAS), Rural Ambulance Victoria (RAV), and the Alexandra District Ambulance Service (ADAS). The MAS is responsible for Melbourne and it's outer suburbs while RAV is responsible for regional and rural areas of Victoria, except for the Alexandra, Marysville, and Eildon areas, which are serviced by ADAS.

St John Ambulance Australia (SJAA) does not provide emergency patient transport services in Victoria. SJAA provides free first aid at community and sporting events across Victoria.

History
In 1883 as a result of a public meeting a branch of St. John Ambulance Association was set up with the aim of teaching as many people as possible home nursing and first aid. 1887 saw enough money raised to purchase six Ashford Litters which were placed at police stations. It wasn't until 1899 that Melbourne's first ambulance station was opened at the rear of the Windsor Hotel off Bourke street. It housed one horse drawn ambulance and was brought with money raised by the Association of Ladies of St John.

Metropolitan Ambulance Service (MAS)
The Metropolitan Ambulance Service (MAS) services an area of 9000 square kilometres, extending from the Melbourne Central Business District to the Mornington Peninsula and the peripheral rural communities of Bacchus Marsh, Whittlesea, Warburton and Koo-Wee-Rup. Almost 4 million residents live in this area.

Rural Ambulance Victoria (RAV)
Rural Ambulance Victoria (RAV) is responsible for pre-hospital emergency care and transport for the 1.4 million people living and working in rural Victoria – an area of more than 215,000 square kilometres extending from the boundaries of Melbourne to the borders with South Australia and New South Wales.

Alexandra District Ambulance Service (ADAS)
Alexandra District Ambulance Services was formed by the community in 1948 and operates pursuant to the Ambulance Services Act 1986. The area serviced incorporates the districts of Alexandra, Eildon & Marysville (formally the shire of Alexandra).