Story: Ambulance services

Ambulance communications

Callers dialing 111 are asked whether they need fire, ambulance or police, and are connected with the appropriate communications centre. Those requiring an ambulance speak to a qualified operator, such as this St John’s officer, who gives instructions on caring for the patient until the ambulance arrives. Listen to a real-life call to an ambulance communications centre by a woman whose husband had gone into cardiac arrest. With the operator’s help she performed CPR, and her husband survived.

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St John New Zealand

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How to cite this page:

Nancy Swarbrick, 'Ambulance services - Development of ambulance services', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/speech/22352/ambulance-communications (accessed 19 March 2024)

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 11 Mar 2010