Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand
A new first response unit in Benneydale will enhance emergency medical response for the local community and surrounding area, providing faster treatment in critical situations and protecting more lives.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand volunteer firefighters in Benneydale, 35 kilometres southeast of Te Kuiti, have been trained as first responders and will be dispatched to serious and life-threatening medical emergencies, working alongside the Hato Hone St John ambulance network.
While Hato Hone St John is the lead agency for all medical calls, the collaboration with Fire and Emergency will strengthen emergency response in rural and remote areas around Benneydale, where immediate care can make a crucial difference.
Fire and Emergency’s Waikato Assistant District Commander David Brown says eight volunteers in the Benneydale Volunteer Fire Brigade have just completed the Hato Hone St John first responder training.
“Because Benneydale is a volunteer fire brigade, our firefighters are usually the closest emergency service and first on the scene of any incident in the surrounding rural communities,” David Brown says.
“Benneydale now joins over 60 Fire and Emergency first response units across New Zealand as part of our Memorandum of Understanding with Hato Hone St John to respond to life-threatening medical emergencies.
“The training equips our people with essential patient assessment and treatment skills. They will now carry a first response kit, including an automated external defibrillator (AED), to provide immediate care while Hato Hone St John resources are enroute.”
Rob Chisholm, Hato Hone St John Group Operations Manager – Waitomo and King Country, is thankful to Fire and Emergency for establishing the first response capabilities in Benneydale.
“Our ambulance crews responding from the wider area can take comfort in knowing they have the support of trained first responders who can provide immediate care before they arrive.
“In serious medical emergencies, every minute counts, and having local first responders available greatly benefits patient outcomes and response times,” Rob Chisholm says.
It is important to note that the public should continue to call 111 and request an ambulance in a medical emergency.
Note: Establishing Fire and Emergency first response units is a vital part of HHStJ and Fire and Emergency’s Memorandum of Understanding, in which HHStJ is the lead agency for all medical calls.
