New first response unit in Waverley to boost emergency care
28 March 2025
A new first response unit in Waverley will enhance emergency medical response for the local community in South Taranaki, providing faster treatment in critical situations and protecting more lives.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand volunteer firefighters in Waverley have been trained as first responders and will be dispatched to serious and life-threatening medical emergencies, working alongside Hato Hone St John’s ambulance crews.
While Hato Hone St John (HHStJ) is the lead agency for all medical calls, the collaboration with Fire and Emergency will strengthen emergency response in rural and remote areas, where immediate care can make a crucial difference.
Fire and Emergency’s Taranaki District Manager Dave Utumapu says seven volunteers in the Waverley Volunteer Fire Brigade completed HHStJ’s first responder training this month.
“Because we have a volunteer fire brigade in Waverley, our firefighters are usually the closest emergency service, and the first ones on the spot anyway,” he says.
“Many communities are already used to seeing Fire and Emergency responders first at medical incidents, and we have 58 other first responder units already in place around New Zealand.
“This training is equipping Fire and Emergency people with essential patient assessment and treatment skills. They will carry a first response kit, including an automated external defibrillator, to provide immediate care while an ambulance is on its way. This can make all the difference to patients’ chances of survival in a serious medical incident.”
Liz Garmey, Hato Hone St John Area Operations Manager – Whanganui/Ruapehu, says the new unit will significantly improve response times for critical patients.
“Ambulance crews responding from Whanganui or Hāwera can take comfort in knowing that trained first responders are on the scene providing care before they arrive,” she says.
“In serious emergencies, every minute counts, and having Fire and Emergency first responders available will improve patient outcomes.”
Members of the public should continue to call 111 and request an ambulance in a medical emergency.
Editor's note: Establishing Fire and Emergency first response units is part of HHStJ and Fire and Emergency’s Memorandum of Understanding.