Officials gathered at Paeroa’s Hato Hone St John station on December 3 for the dedication of a new ambulance, a first for the Hauraki town.
The vehicle was purchased with funds donated by Caroline Lind.
Caroline told the gathered crowd she wanted to acknowledge her family’s history by making a donation that would benefit the local community.
“It’s just something I wanted to do. My mum and dad were in St John ambulance for as long as I can remember, and I was a cadet, and my brother was a cadet… I’m grateful that you were able to accept it here in Paeroa,” she said.
The vehicle, bearing the number 794, is the first brand-new ambulance the Paeroa station has received in years.
Head of Order Matters Gary Salmon was on hand to accept the keys on behalf of St John, and said it would be put to good use.
“During the past 12 months, the Paeroa ambulance station attended, on average, four emergency calls every day.
“So if we calculate that over the life of this ambulance, this ambulance is going to respond to something like more than 10,000 emergency calls in its lifetime,” he said.
“The people of Paeroa and the surrounding districts will be and are most grateful for this wonderful donation.”
Area Operations Manager John Armitt said the vehicle was a great boon for the response team.
“Paramedics work in an unstable and sometimes austere environment, and the only constant in that is the waka manaaki (ambulance),” he said.
“This is our environment, this is our safe haven, this is our tool of the trade… It’s safe to travel in for the patient, family, and most of all, my staff.
“Caroline, you are now intrinsically linked to this waka manaaki and Paeroa Station, and to the paramedics who will provide care and transport within this community.”
Ambulance 794 was put into service immediately following the ceremony.
