Ambulance puts out a call for helpers

Nicole Dornbusch has two young children but one night a week she swaps parenting for a night shift manning the Rotorua St John Ambulance.

The mum is one of 27 ambulance volunteers but the emergency service hopes to bolster that number by holding an information night next week.

Ms Dornbusch said the key to volunteering was to be organised but to also give what you could.

"It's something you will either enjoy or not but you can only find out by having a go," she said.

"When I worked part-time between kids I still fitted it in, it's just about being organised. You only have to give what you can give, rather than feel you have to give more and not enjoy it."

Ms Dornbusch's children are Noah, 3, and Kieran, 1. She volunteered before they were born and returned to her weekly night shift when Kieran was 5 months old.

"I have a really supportive partner. I resigned from my job to be more at home with them, which also allows me more time to do this as well.

"I'm not worried that it's not paid. I've learned a lot, as the staff are great at sharing their knowledge. No two shifts are the same, as you never know what's going to happen."

It was a friend's suggestion after moving to Rotorua that she looked into volunteering. That was four years ago and she has not looked back.

Now she hopes more people will join the crew. "We have an awesome group of volunteers but there's not enough of us."

Volunteers man a frontline ambulance on the night shift and attend events.

St John Lakes area territorial manager Hilary MorrishAllen said the information night was for anyone with an interest in volunteering and there would be plenty of volunteers available to talk to.

"No experience is necessary, just lots of enthusiasm and a desire to help and support the community," she said.

The information night is at the Rotorua St John Ambulance station on Pererika St on Tuesday, March 4 at 7pm.