Te Puke St John volunteer becomes employee with dual crew rollout

Awanga McGeady was a St John volunteer but is now employed full time as an emergency medical assistant.

Double crewing ambulances has meant more jobs.

St John Ambulance is coming to the end of a rollout of double crews on its ambulances.

Te Puke is one of the final places for the initiative, and Awanga McGeady is one of those who has benefited, going from being a volunteer to a fulltime emergency medical assistant.

St John territory manager Mat Delaney says the organisation is coming to the end of a four-year rollout ''we've done nationally for double crewing all our ambulances with paid staff, and Te Puke is essentially at the tail end of that''.

''The intention was to remove single-crew responses of ambulance crews to patients by actually putting two paid staff in ambulances around the country.

''There was also some rethinking about where we placed our ambulances.''

He says places like Te Puke that have been well supported by volunteers were not as high a priority as some of the country's more-isolated, rural areas.

''The intention is to essentially provide a safer ambulance service for our staff by having them crewed with a partner all the time, and for patients it meant there was always somebody available in the back of the ambulance and there were two people to look after a patient at home.

''It's provided a better service to all our communities not just the metropolitan areas.

''Once upon a time, especially in the rural setting, we were heavily reliant on volunteers to do those roles for us - either drive or sit in the back with the patient if the patient was critical. But as society's changed and the ambulance services as a whole has become more professional, we've tried not to rely on volunteers to prop up the ambulance service. We'd like to pay staff for the work that they do treating patients in the community .''

Typically, one crew member has the paramedic qualification while the other can be a medical emergency assistant.

''They have an advanced first aid course that we provide them with, as well as some additional training on a specific course just for them.''

The initiative was funded by the Government.

Awanga began volunteering with Te Puke St John in 2018.

''At that time I was looking after a family member with Alzheimer's and I had to renew my first aid certificate, so I went along to St John to do that and I got talking to [Te Puke St John area committee chairwoman] Lyn Govenlock. She mentioned volunteering for the ambulance. I didn't even know that was a thing, but I thought that's cool so that's how I started.''

Last year she started her diploma to become an emergency medical technician.

''When these jobs came up, I jumped at the chance and was lucky enough to get one.''
It wasn't until she started volunteering that Awanga saw the possibility of a career in the ambulance service.

''It's funny how life takes you on these different journeys, but I'm really happy I'm here now. I do believe things happen for a reason.'

Awanga has been employed since the end of June.

''The core group of fulltime workers is really good. The staff members are good at mentoring and teaching and they are good at letting you be hands on, under supervision.''

She says she has always liked helping people

''It's just in my nature really.''

She says the most valued thing in her role is the people contact that comes with the job.

''I just think it's a privilege that people let you into their house when they are at their most vulnerable, and that I get to help them on their journey in some little way.''