St John Ambulance SA Ltd Annual Report 2024-25

Maree Geraghty Chief Executive Officer

Chief Executive Officer’s report It has been my privilege to step into the role of Chief Executive Officer at St John Ambulance SA and to support an organisation that continues to demonstrate resilience, professionalism, and compassion in serving the South Australian community. The year 2025 marks two important milestones for St John SA – 140 years of operation in South Australia and 100 years of the St John Youth Program. Both milestones have provided an opportunity to reflect on our proud history and enduring community legacy, and to recognise how many generations of South Australians we have empowered with lifesaving skills to build a more resilient community. Across all areas of our organisation, the dedication of our volunteers and staff has remained the driving force behind our success. This year, 951 volunteers and 83 support staff contributed to our mission, delivering vital health and medical services, community care, and first aid training and products that make a tangible difference every day. Collectively, our volunteers dedicated more than 90,000 hours of service, valued at over $3.6 million to the South Australian economy. St John SA is operating in a competitive and changing environment. The path travelled and learnings that got St John SA to where it is today may not get us to where we wish and need to be for the future state of the organisation. St John SA has reported a net operating deficit which needs to be addressed. The management team is continually reviewing strategies and a range of activities to ensure ongoing financial sustainability. Our focus has been on business improvement, efficiently running the organisation, and ensuring our revenue covers costs.

We need to grow our services including first aid training, first aid products, health and emergency response at major events and community activities, patient transport, Community Care and fundraising. St John SA delivers outstanding services to the community and we continue to develop our staff and volunteers to ensure they have the necessary skills and expertise to provide this great work. Our Health and Medical Services teams attended more than 1,700 events and emergencies, with 435 active volunteers providing care and reassurance to tens of thousands of South Australians. In addition to supporting some of the state’s largest events, our teams were called upon for multiple emergency activations under the State Emergency Management Plan (SEMP). Our volunteers and staff demonstrated professionalism, skill, and dedication as they quickly and effectively responded to these incidents, highlighting our strong emergency response capability. This capability has been further strengthened through the introduction of a new Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) fleet and the acquisition of a new Mercedes Sprinter ambulance, which will also enhance our Non-Emergency Patient Transport (NEPT) operations. These investments ensure our fleet and systems remain modern, safe, and fit for purpose – supporting both clinical operations and community response. Our Community Care Program continues to be a vital part of the organisation’s social impact. This year, 198 volunteers supported 300 clients across metropolitan Adelaide, contributing 13,970 hours of service valued at $705,504.

Annual Report 2024/25

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