CITY AMBULANCE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2908, 21 October 1916, Page 6

CITY AMBULANCE

AN IMPROVEMENT UNDER WAY

AMBULANCE AT FIRE STATION

I At the monthly meeting of the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board on Thursday, the chairman (ifr. H. Baldwin), referring to the ambulance question, said that 'the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke), the chairman of the Harbour Board (Mr. C. E. Daniell), and himself had held a conference on the subject-of improving the ambulance service of the city. Ihoy were all in perfect agreement as to tho need for an improvement, and after going into tho matter, and consulting with Mr. Tait (the superintendent of the Firo Brigade), the matter was loft in the hands of the Mayor, tho City Engineer, and Mr. Tait, to devise tho best soheme possible, Mr. Daniell agreeing that the Harbour Board would bear its share of the burden.

At the same meeting of tho Hospital Board it was decided that a second motor ambulance be secured at once for Hospital work, the secretary to obtain prices, and report at noxt Wednesday's moeting of the committee. The board had also secured a motor delivery Van, which might bo used in an emergency for other purposes than for carrying stores. This will moan' that the Hospital will havo two motor ambulances, two horse ambulances (just taken over from-vtho St. . John Ambulance Association), and a motor delivery van. As no arrangement has bocn made to keop horses for tho horse-ambulances, there may bo money saved by using tho body of ono as the body of tho now motor ambulance. These ambulances would bo for Hospital purposes, which would reserve tho new city ambulance purely for accidents.

Tho Mayor Intervfowod. When interviewed on tie subject yesterday, the Mayor roferred to the amicable nature of tho conference which had been held this week. Tho general viow of those prosent was that the ambulance service should bo an adjunct to the Municipal Firo Brigade, a call to an accidont to bo answered as promptly as was a call to a. fire. What he thought was wanted was a Jight car, with a canvas hood, containing one stretcher, and a proper rack to take it. That type of motor ambulance was all, he thought, that was needed for accident attention. The idea was that subh a car could bo handled by any of the brigadesmen with a little training. This meant that the ambulance must bo kept either in or adjacent to tho Central Fire Brigade station. At present the Central _ station was filled almost to congestion, and they would be pushed for room were any . further additions made to their fire plant. The yard (on Jorvois Quay) was also overcrowded. A suggestion mado by the City. Engineer was that a place might be made for it in the yard at the back of the Town Hall (aa area partly used now by tho Technical College, which was undor notice to vacate. It would, however, be better if the place were nearer the brigade than that, and another site in a handier position was suggested. Ou that point and the subject generally he had still to consult with the Firo Brigade Committee of the City Council, but he had little doubt that they would agree with what was proposed to bo done to meet the emergency.' Mr. Daniel!, on behalf of the Harbour Board, realised that a proportion of the accidents occurred along the waterfront, and, on _ their ■part a good many of the accidents which inevitably occurred were in con-nection-with the-'city services. . Tho board, however, was, he understood, prepared to contribute generously to the undertaking, whilst the city had obligations that it must not hesitate to fulfil. Now that .the matter had been taken in hand ho had no doubt that the whole matter would be quickly arranged, and an important city need supplied. • " ,