NEW AMBULANCE TO BE DEDICATED

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31077, 4 June 1966, Page 11

NEW AMBULANCE TO BE DEDICATED

A new £2700 ambulance, which will replace an older vehicle in the fleet of eight owned by the Christchurch sub-centre of the St. John Ambulance Association, will be dedicated by the Bishop of Christchurch (the Rt. Rev. A. K. Warren) at the annual St. John Day church service in the Christchurch Cathedral on June 19.

The sub-centre has already taken delivery of the ambulance from the body-builders in Oamaru. The sub-centre’s secretarytreasurer (Mr G. A. Brown) said that the new ambulance would carry two patients lying and two sitting, or five sitting patients. It also differed from other vehicles in the fleet in that the stretcher racks folded away to permit the carriage of wheel-chairs. Also dedicated on June 19 will be an outpatient van bought last year with funds provided by a grant from the Women’s Auxiliary of St. John and from the premiere of the film, “My Fair Lady.” Because of the increased demand for the sub-centre’s services, the North Canterbury Hospital Board had agreed to representations for an additional ambulance.

It was hoped this would go into service before the end of the year, Mr Brown said. Another driver would start at the same time, and this would bring the driving staff to 14.

During May the sub-centre’s ambulances travelled 13,713 miles and carried 2400 patients, compared with 11,035 miles and 2059 patients in April, and 12,368 miles and 2399 patients in May last year. The mileage set a new record, as did the number of road accident victims carried —126 patients from 96 accidents, compared with 93 patients from 69 accidents in April, and 88 patients from 69 accidents in May last year.