Ambulance building will 'give community identity'

SHAPING UP: Mangawhai's new St John Ambulance station will be operational by the end of the month. PHOTO/JOHN STONE

Mangawhai's ambulances will no longer need to be parked in the driveway of volunteers homes - soon they will have a driveway of their own.

Currently St John ambulance volunteers are operating out of a small office based at the local fire brigade but a new St John Ambulance Station, set to be operational at the end of June, will house volunteers and the local ambulance.

"It gives the community some identity. We're hoping this will attract more volunteers," St John Northland district operations manager Tony Devanney said.

Mr Devanney said St John had been planning to build an official station in Mangawhai for four or five years and said the community could not wait.

"From day one the community have been nothing but supportive," said Mr Devanney.

Currently there are about 12 St John volunteers in the Mangawhai area. Mr Devanney said he hoped the station would raise St John's profile and double the volunteer numbers.

"It will make it easier for us to help out the community, because of our capacity ambulances aren't available 24/7 because our volunteers might be doing other things. Sometimes we need to get ambos from Maungaturoto."

Mr Devanney said currently all profits made from goods sold at the St John op-shop went to the station.

"The money is staying in the community and it will continue to stay that way."

There would be an open day at the station some time in August, he added.