It might be a milestone which goes uncelebrated, but it's a service which should not go unrecognised.

On 1 September 1990, the Port Douglas Ambulance Station opened for the first time and gave a growing population a sense of security that remains today, 20 years later.

Ron Verri, the station's first Chairman, recalls the enormous effort by a handful of locals to get the service up and running.

"Every Sunday for ten years there was somebody selling raffle tickets at the Court House Hotel," Mr Verri said.

"Hank and Nell Dwyer were there every weekend, along with people like Jack Connolly (the station's deputy), Doug Rasmussen, and Chris McClelland."

The decade long fundraising drive accumulated a staggering $220,000 and gave Port Douglas the much needed service.

"If someone was sick in Port Douglas (prior to the station opening), we had to send an ambulance from Mossman, 14 miles up the road.

"It meant the difference between saving a life and losing a life," Mr Verri said.

The success of the campaign was attributed to the "incredible public support", and in 1990 after the station opened the committee was disbanded when the State Government took over its running.

It's easy to take for granted the services we come to rely on, but on 1 September, spare a thought for the committed group of locals who made Port Douglas a safer place to live.