One of Oamaru's St John ambulances is being sent to Wanaka to temporarily cater for the winter ski season - but that will not affect coverage in North Otago.
St John secretary in Oamaru, Murray Jones, said yesterday ambulances were regularly sent to Wanaka to help during the ski season, but this was the first time one had gone from Oamaru.
The Oamaru service still had three ambulances remaining, which would meet local demands with co-operation and co-ordination with medical services.
All ambulances belonged to the southern region of St John, which covered the area from the Waitaki River to Stewart Island. The exceptions being vehicles which had been donated, such as the one provided by the Oamaru Licensing Trust several years ago.
Rather than buy new vehicles, which could cost more than $100,000, to fill seasonal demands, the southern region temporarily borrowed them from other areas.
Mr Jones said the ambulance would be returned to Oamaru in two to three months, once there the ski season demand decreased.
