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Community Ambulance Service

Research work was undertaken in the Greater Newlands Area in late 2007, to identify the hazardscape and produce a 'snapshot' of the community's strengths and weaknesses.

From this research it was apparent that one of the major gaps in service provision for the 13,500 residents was a mobile medical service, available in a major disaster.

On 28 May 2008 Standards New Zealand released the Ambulance and Paramedical Standard NZS 8156:2008.  The Standard provides for the operation of an "Event Ambulance" - that is, an vehicle equipped for the provision of medical treatment but that will not transport patients.

Wellington Region is threatened by earthquake - along with tsunami it is the major threat to the area.  However the north-eastern part of the city is built on very stable bedrock, and is high enough to miss a tsunami.

The biggest threat is the loss of road access - currently over three motorway bridges.  As both the Thorndon and Porirua ambulance stations would likely be cut off by damage to State Highway One, it was decided by the North Wellington Resilience Trust to develop an Emergency Medical Unit to serve the area.

Wellington is currently served by an excellent emergency ambulance service (Wellington Free Ambulance) so the new service will not seek to replicate that.  Rather, it will provide non-transport paramedical services to local events, and otherwise remain in the area in the event of a disaster.

The Trust already has a suitable vehicle, and fundraising is underway to outfit it properly.  The Emergency Medical Unit will be staffed by specially-trained volunteers from the New Zealand Resilience Corps.

Contact the Trust  |  PO Box 24-520, Wellington  6142, Aotearoa New Zealand  |  info@nzrt.org.nz