New 'ambus' unveiled in Adelaide

An emergency response ambulance bus that can carry 12 patients has been launched in Adelaide.

The South Australian government says the new "ambus" is an Australian first and will allow paramedics to respond to accidents and disasters with multiple patients more effectively.

"It'll give our hardworking paramedics a critical advantage when attending major incidents resulting in multiple casualties, like bushfires and car crashes," Health Minister Jack Snelling said on Sunday.

The ambulance can treat six stretcher patients and six sitting patients at a time and will be used for emergency situations, patient transport and at large-scale events.