OUT OF COMMISSION.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 53, 4 March 1926, Page 11

OUT OF COMMISSION.

WATERFRONT AMBULANCE.

END OF 11 YEARS' SERVICE

EXTENSION OF ST. JOHN'S WORK.

Ambulance work on the Auckland waterfront i≤ now being carried out by the Ist. John Ambulance Association, and the ambulance which was run, lirstly by the watcrsidurs and later by the Harbour Hoard, has been put uut of commission.

The waterfront ambulance was in comfor eleven years. It was first located ou t:ie wharf at the end of 1014 as the result of continued delays in transferring accident cases from the wharves 10 the public hospital. The case which finally led to this decision was that or a watersider being jammed by a sling of rail? on the King's wharf. He had his right leg practically severed, and it ivas necessary to improvise a stretcher to take him to hospital by motor car. Several serious accidents had happened shortly previous to that, and at a meetins of watersiders, held immediately afterwards, it was decided that an ambul:inee should be started on the wharf. Tiie union voted £2-50. Shipowners, asrents, merchants and other interested parties were canvassed, and their contribution?, together with subscriptions from the watersiders themselves, rrsulted in a total >urn of over f!»00 being obtained. An ambulance was bought with this money, the arrangement being that it should be housed at the end of the Queen's wharf and that the watersiders should pay the expenses of a driver, a? well as provide the necessary first-aid equipment. Over a Hundred Cases a Year. For four years the ambulance handled over one hundred cases annually. Upon occasions it did work in the city and suburbs, its longest trip being to Titlranpi. Its central location also made it convenient in ca;-e of accidents at the mills, factories, or railway yards along the waterfront. Tn 1018 the ambulance was taken over by the Harbour Board. The watersiders had found the post of maintaining it too heavy, and the change was made with the proviso that the bonrd should maintain the ambulance service with an ambulance stationed on the waterfront.

The watersiders consider that the service has been efficient. During the period of eleven years of its existence it? greatest achievement was on the occasion of a seriona explosion of sulphuric acid on board the Union Cn. : s steamer Monnwai at the TJnilway wharf. That was in 1017. Thirteen men were injured. The ambulance had made a trip to the hospital with four of the most serious cases, three of totnl blindness, and had returned for a second trip before another ambulance arrived. Useful Service Recognised. Though the ambulance has given sood service it is recognised that it would be an advantage to introduce a number of more modern features. In the days when it was acquired the condition of the Auckland streets, generally, made it necessary to have an ambulance that •was strongly built for the rough roads. The present concrete pavements, however, ensure much more comfort in travelling; but. although the ambulance itself has not been improved as these changes progressed, the facilities for handling cases have always been kept in order.

An auxiliary to the ambulance service is the first-aid branch on the waterfront. Upon occasions as many as a dozen watersiders receive first-aid attention in the course of a day. The convenience of this service, which is carried out in the ambulance depot, is much appreciated by the men who are the victims of minor accident-:, particularly of injuries to their hands and arms. Arrangements for New Service. The St. John Ambulance took up the waterfront work last Monday week, and is to receive a subsidy of £100 per year from the Harbour Board. To give a good service necessitates two ambulances being always available. A new one was placed in commission six weeks ago, and the staff has been augmented by the addition of another driver. There are bow throe ambulances available at St. John's station. Two of them are claimed to be the finest south of the line. The station is now open continuously, and in case of any calamity, such as a railway (accident, the three ambulances can be turned out in five minutes. with stretchers and equipment tn handle ten stretcher cases. For a voluntary organisation this indicates a state of high efficiency. Already seven cases have been expeditiously handled in the new service.