Wellington Free Ambulance / News

WFA Launches Paramedic Appeal Campaign (16 Aug 2010)

For over 80 years the paramedics of Wellington Free Ambulance have proudly served the greater Wellington community as the region’s sole emergency ambulance provider.

It is reassuring to know that when you call 111 for an ambulance in greater Wellington, it is Wellington Free Ambulance that responds to the call for help – not St John or any other provider - and all at no cost to the patient.  In fact we are proud to be the only free ambulance service in New Zealand.

Each day our frontline and patient transfer staff help over 135 people in need – that’s more than 50,000 people each year who require our assistance. We are quite literally a lifeline for anyone who lives, works or simply visits our great Wellington region.

We are only able to continue responding to this volume of calls, urgently and to a high standard, thanks to the support of the community. Your donation will help us continue to save lives and provide the peace of mind in knowing that in an emergency there is an ambulance available 24/7, free of charge.

It costs more than $13 million every year to keep our fleet of ambulances on the road and to train paramedics to crew them.  Government agencies fund approximately three quarters of this cost, but to cover the $3 million shortfall we rely on your generosity.

Once again we’re asking for your support so that our paramedics can provide the highest possible medical care for the greater Wellington community – and free to the patient.

Over the next few weeks, an appeal envelope should be appearing in every letterbox across the greater Wellington region - help keep the free in your ambulance service by completing the donation form and returning it in the pre-paid envelope.

Alternatively, you can donate online at our secure website by clicking here, or by visiting your local PSIS branch.

On behalf of the paramedics and staff at Wellington Free Ambulance, thank you for your support – it is greatly appreciated.

Yours sincerely

Alan O’Beirne, WFA Chief Executive

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