St John Ambulance investigating shooting response

St John says an internal investigation and debrief on the incident where a 23-year-old Otaki woman was shot were underway. File photo / NZ Herald

St John Ambulance has launched an internal investigation after fellow emergency services criticised its response to a fatal shooting in Kapiti.

No ambulance was sent to the aid of a 23-year-old mother who was shot at a house in Otaki Beach on May 8.

Firefighters and police gave her first aid but became so concerned with St John's response they called off-duty paramedics to the scene themselves.

The paramedics arrived 25 minutes after emergency services were called and borrowed the firefighters' medical equipment to treat the woman.

A helicopter and paramedic arrived from Palmerston North about 16 minutes later.

The woman died the next morning in Wellington Hospital and her partner has been charged with murder. Both have name suppression.

St John today released a statement saying an internal investigation and debrief on the incident were underway.

"Due to demand for ambulance services on 8 May the closest resource with appropriately skilled officer for this incident was Palmerston North, all other options were explored."

It said the decision to dispatch the rescue helicopter was made within four minutes of the original emergency call at 4.06pm.

"At 4.11pm the Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter was assigned to the incident. The St John crew arrived at the helicopter base at 4.17pm and the helicopter was airborne at 4.28pm."

The chopper arrived in Otaki at 4.47pm.

It is understood the Fire Service has written to St John asking it to explain its delay in treating the woman, the Dominion Post reported today.

St John yesterday said it had not received any formal letter but that its on-duty Otaki staff had been on their way to Palmerston North with a patient when the shooting occurred.

Two ambulances in Levin were responding to another call, after the cardiac arrest of a terminally ill cancer patient, who was the subject of a non-resuscitation order.

Palmerston North police rural area commander Brett Calkin said officers attending the shooting scene had not raised any concerns about the St John performance.

- NZPA