- 2nd Sep 2024
Hato Hone St John’s first EV patient is ‘delighted’ with the experience
By Amy Milne, External Communications Specialist, Hato Hone St John
Canterbury/Waitaha, Aoteroa New Zealand
Jewellery shops have been known to make some people break into a sweat, but for Hamilton man Bernie Snook, on this occasion it didn’t have anything to do with diamonds.
Bernie and his wife Susan had gone to a jewellery shop in the mall to get his watched fixed when suddenly the 64-year-old felt very unwell.
“It all happened quite quickly,” Susan said. “Bernie became very heated and just started saying ‘I’ve got to get out of here’.”
The couple exited the jeweller’s shop to get some air and then Bernie’s eyes “just rolled back. I panicked a bit and didn’t know what to do.”
A passerby, a mall security guard, and a pharmacist from Life Pharmacy came to their assistance and phoned 111. They were told an ambulance would soon be dispatched, but when Bernie’s condition deteriorated, they phoned again, and the call-taker advised an ambulance was being sent immediately.
That ambulance happened to be Hato Hone St John’s first electric (EV) emergency ambulance, and the Snooks’ call was the very first incident the vehicle and crew had responded to and transported to the emergency department.
The couple had seen a story about the vehicle in the paper that day and were pleased to see it arrive on scene. “When Colin (one of the two paramedics who responded to the call) said we were going in the EV, we were just delighted,” Susan said. “We’re all for EVs. We have a hybrid. I think it’s the way to go really.”
“Yes, there’s no other way really,” Bernie added.
The Snooks were impressed with the layout and comfort of the treatment area inside the Ford E-Transit. There was a comfortable seat for Susan so she could stay close to Bernie during the journey to hospital.
They were also impressed at all the high-tech equipment and how everything was “within reach” for the paramedics Josh Stannard and Dr Colin Tan.
“All the gear and monitoring equipment was just amazing,” Susan said. “It’s also so quiet, which is great for communication.”
Bernie agreed. “It was great – an excellent service. When I went into resus at the hospital, most of the work had been done,” he said.
Bernie is now back at home recovering from the medical event and said while he loved the EV, he’s in no great rush to go for another ride in it if he can avoid it.
The EV emergency ambulance is the first in Australasia and was designed and fitted out in Hamilton at Action Manufacturing.
Dr Colin Tan, Hato Hone St John Paramedic and Head of Service Improvement and Sustainability, said the EV was being trialled in Hamilton over the next year, where its range, clinical capability and functionality would be closely monitored.
All of it has been made possible thanks to ASB Bank, which put forward the funds to power the project. “The trial is well underway, and I would like to thank the crews and dispatchers stepping up to the challenge as this is a learning process for all of us,” Dr Tan said. “I look forward to doing more shifts on the vehicle and hearing the feedback from our people.”
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