A $14,000 grant from the Lion Foundation has enabled the St John southern region to buy five satellite phones for use in emergencies or where there is no cellphone reception.
Until now, communication from emergencies on roads such as the Lindis Pass and Milford Rd had been difficult, but the satellite phones would mean contact could be made from those areas.
Southern region operations manager Doug Third said the ambulance crews were the last emergency service group in the South to have satellite phones.
Until now, there had been only one phone in Dunedin.
"Having good communications during emergencies is of vital importance to St John and when conventional communication systems such as radio transmitters and cellphones do not work, satellite technology takes over."
In the event of a natural disaster, it was likely satellite technology would be the only way to communicate with Civil Defence and other emergency services, he said.
A phone would be given to each of the managers for Coastal Otago, Central Otago and Southland, as well as one each in Queenstown and Te Anau.
St John's operations budget would cover the ongoing cost of the phones, which was similar to a cellphone monthly rental bill.
sarah.harvey@odt.co.nz
