DIFFICULT PERIOD

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 8, 5 October 1943, Page 6

DIFFICULT PERIOD

Free Ambulance Service

Through the serious illness of its superintendent and secretary,- Mr. .F. Rolfe, and the almost insuperable difficulties of securing sufficient experienced men to run the ambulance vans, Welling-' ton’s Free Ambulance service is experiencing what one member calls "a tough time.” For the past three months Mr. Rolfe has been in the Lewisham Hospital, his condition at times having been critical. The shortage of experienced drivers and men capable’ of handling sick people, which has been very acute for eighteen months past, has grown more so during the current year. This service operates throughout the 24 hours of the day, and yet to run its eight cars there are only 11 men (includ ing two new to the work) on the roster. The Free Ambulance was declared an essential industry some time ago, but, as many in other industries have found by experience, this docs not help very much, if at al).

Only recently there were half n dozen calls to be attended to. While there were six cars in the central station, there were only two men to man them. How long such conditions can continue without a breakdown no one knows, but the position is regarded as most unsatisfactory, particularly in view of the proposed extension of the service (with a separate station building) to the Hutt Valley.

Mr. L. C. Rolfe, son of Mr. F. ‘Rolfe, is acting-superintendent for the time being.