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A St John paramedics team trained to assist police during armed callouts has been so successful it could soon be replicated in other parts of the country.
The Special Emergency Response Team was formed as a part-time unit in 2000 to fulfil a need that was highlighted by the 1992 Schlaepfer shootings at Paerata, in which six members of a family were killed by a seventh, and international incidents such as the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in United States.
By 2004, the Auckland-based team had became a fulltime unit working closely with police, the armed offenders squad, special tactics group, search and rescue and the Auckland Airport crash fire unit.
St John northern region operations manager Gary Salmon said the team often joined police and firefighters on drug raids, armed incidents, chemical and fire emergencies and rescue missions.
Mr Salmon said the Auckland-based unit, which had five officers, had worked so well that St John was reviewing arrangements for similar units in other parts of the country.
While the number of jobs attended varied, Mr Salmon said a recent and typical month for the Auckland unit involved 11 jobs, including several armed offenders callouts.
The team has its own specialist response vehicle containing personal protection equipment and other kit appropriate for the jobs it goes on.
