One call every 20 seconds: Current demand for ambulances 'unsustainable' - St John
New Zealand's St John ambulance service is facing unsustainable demand, recording one call every 20 seconds due to a surge in seasonal illnesses. The service has activated emergency protocols to manage the record-breaking volume of calls.
Why it matters
This highlights the fragility of public health infrastructure when faced with sudden spikes in demand, particularly in aging populations.
A Hato Hone St John spokesperson says the current demand for ambulances isn't sustainable, with one call made every 20 seconds.
The ambulance service declared a major incident response on Sunday and activated its Emergency Operations Centre for the first time since Covid-19, citing extreme pressure from seasonal illness.
Saturday was St John's busiest day on record, receiving 2562 calls through 111, a 34 percent increase from a typical day. The service's daily calls record was also broken three times last week.
By Sunday, the ambulance service had received 16,008 calls for the week, breaking a record set just a week earlier.
Hato Hone St John's director of ambulance operations Doug Gallagher told Morning Report it had been coping until a sudden spike in calls.
"We'd had a mild winter and demand had been okay ... and a cold snap came, and demand went through the roof."
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