Ten Queenstown residents now have the confidence to apply CPR in an emergency and St John Wakatipu is $300 better off, after the ambulance service held a free mass cardiopulmonary resuscitation training session, on the Queenstown Village Green, yesterday.
St John has cleared its staff of blame for any delay in attending a fatal Kapiti shooting last month, where firefighters decided to call in off-duty paramedics rather than wait for an ambulance.
Ambulance officers spent from 10am to 4pm at New World on Saturday giving residents and visitors free blood-pressure checks.
The new management structure of St John in the South Island is largely in place, with the exception of two senior positions.
The long overdue renovation of the Alexandra St John base is "tantalisingly close", members were told at a recent awards ceremony.
St John Wakatipu is $3300 better off after its first "Olde English Summer Fete" on Sunday.
Ambulance officer and co-organiser Chris Marr said more than 1000 residents enjoyed the food and atmosphere of the English countryside-style fundraising community event in picture-perfect weather.
The English contingent of St John Wakatipu will bring a taste of the old country to Queenstown when it hosts an "Olde English Summer Fete", with maypole and Devonshire cream teas.
While St John normally attends 250 calls a day, in the first two hours after Christchurch's 6.3 magnitude earthquake it responded to 350.
St John Wakatipu was met with delight instead of trauma and is $760 better off, after delivering 95 bouquets of flowers to loved ones on Valentine's Day.
A simple footpath upgrade outside the St John ambulance facility in Balclutha has led to concerns about its safety from staff.
The amalgamation this year of St John's two southern regions will not see any job losses at St John in Otago or Southland, but some senior management may find themselves with new roles.
Emergency first aid callouts in Wanaka kept volunteer ambulance crews at St John Wanaka busy throughout the New Year holiday period.
A rose bred specially to commemorate St John's 125th anniversary was presented to three Queenstown residents this week to recognise the contributions they, and the community, have made to St John Wakatipu.
Laura Fleming, a 17-year-old St John cadet from Dunedin, has been named the organisation's National Cadet of the Year 2010.
St John paramedics finished a two-day recap course of specialist chemical, biological and radiological (CBR) training yesterday to confirm their skills in working in a hazardous, chemical environment.
Two Wanaka businessmen have been given special awards from the Order of St John in recognition of the pair's outstanding support of Upper Clutha first-aid operations.
St John Queenstown team manager Alana Reid says having a volunteer patrol team with no first aid certification to monitor mountain bike tracks this summer, will be "better than having no presence at all".
St John Queenstown has put out the call for volunteer paramedics, promising a demanding but rewarding experience that could lead to a new career.
Mr Wilson unveils the plaque. Photos by Jane Dawber People in South Dunedin will soon have faster access to an ambulance with the opening of St John's new Hillside Station on Saturday. ...
The film premiere of the world jet-boat expedition's journey deep into Mongolia and Russia will be held on Friday, October 29, at the Queenstown Events Centre, starting at 7.30pm.
