Dannevirke volunteers needed for Hato Hone St John’s First Response Unit

Delwyn Walker with the first responder at the 2021 A&P Dannevirke Show.

Hato Hone St John is looking for more volunteers for its First Response Unit in Dannevirke.

Michelle Gillman, Hato Hone St John volunteer support manager, says Hato Hone St John makes life-changing differences within the Dannevirke community, and operates a fleet of vehicles – all with different purposes and support services.

One of those vehicles is the First Response Unit, which looks like a car, so it’s smaller and more agile than a traditional ambulance - ideal for narrow roads and difficult terrain.

The First Response Unit is an on-call ambulance crewed by dedicated volunteers who support paid ambulance officers in the district. The unit is deployed to an incident when a fulltime ambulance is not immediately available. This can include life-threatening emergencies such as a cardiac arrest and trauma caused by road traffic accidents.

Two paid Dannevirke St Johns staff (P) and two equally vital volunteers (V) in front of a full-sized ambulance. From left: Delwyn Walker (P), Fie Kennington (V), Leanne Barr (P) and Andreas Jackson (V).

The service is run by hard-working, local volunteers, and Hato Hone St John is keen to hear from you if it’s something you would like to get involved with.

Michelle says ideally they’d like people who live within 10 minutes of the station.

“Therefore [they] will be able to respond quickly when needed. The First Response Unit will not transport the patient to a hospital but will stay within the district until either a transporting ambulance arrives on scene, or a helicopter arrives. The FRU provides extra resilience during medical emergencies and supports transporting ambulances from Dannevirke,” she says.

“If you have a passion for helping people, especially within your own community, then volunteering for Hato Hone St John is a great way to give back - and we provide free and comprehensive training for all situations that our First Response Unit may encounter. Volunteering is such an enriching and rewarding experience both professionally and personally, and you’ll pick up some very important and practical life-skills along the way.”

To find out more on how to become an operational volunteer on the First Response Unit, please contact michelle.gillman@stjohn.org.nz, kim.bradbury@stjohn.org.nz or Delwyn Walker on ph 027 2300122. Pop in to see her at the St John display on Saturday and Sunday, February 3-4.