St John has confirmed to Chris Lynch Media it is trialling a first response vehicle, crewed by an experienced paramedic, and based at the New Brighton police station during daylight hours.
St John Canterbury District Operations Manager James Stewart said, “The trial, which is initially for three months but will be reviewed monthly, aims to determine the impact that a first response vehicle may have on emergency ambulance performance in eastern Christchurch, as well as provide additional support to patients prior to an ambulance arrival for life-threatening incidents.”
“We are extremely grateful to New Zealand Police for allowing us to base the first response vehicle at New Brighton police station during the trial period.
“It shows the continued strong interagency relationship we have with NZ Police and our emergency service colleagues,” Stewart said.
A decision on whether to continue having a first response vehicle based in the seaside suburb will be guided by response data, along with feedback from St John staff and police.
