An Omarama co-response medical unit member fears a life could be lost because the unit is not being called out to medical emergencies to provide care until an ambulance arrives, which could take an hour or more.
Bruce Dyson is one of six members of the Omarama co-response unit, which has a dedicated vehicle and attends accidents to provide care until an ambulance or other medical staff arrive. Members have been trained, at the community's expense, to pre-hospital health level. That cost $5000 this year. The community also raised about $90,000 five years ago to buy a four-wheel-drive for the team and equip it, including with the latest defibrillator.
But Mr Dyson said the team was not being called out to attend medical emergencies (heart attacks, collapses and other emergencies) to look after the patient until an ambulance arrived, which could be from Twizel, Kurow or Oamaru - more than an hour's drive away.
The team attended vehicle crashes but, at times, was also not called out but goes because the Omarama Fire emergency crash unit was usually attending.
''We don't want to arrive [at the crash] and suddenly find medical assistance is needed.''
Asked if someone could die from a medical emergency because the co-response unit was not called, Mr Dyson said: ''I'm concerned that could happen, yes.''
That had prompted an email to people on the Omarama Gazette list urging people to ensure if they call 111 for a medical emergency that the Omarama Co-Response Unit was attached to the call.
''Our members are trained and will assist the patient until an ambulance arrives, which could take up to an hour to arrive depending on where it is coming from,'' the email said.
If the person making the call-out had not heard the Omarama Fire siren within minutes, they were told to call 111 again and request the unit.
Mr Dyson said the unit was not trying to replace St John Ambulance, but work with it, and assist the community which paid for it.
''We can be there within the ''golden hour''. We are a quick solution to provide care for the patient and prepare them for transfer to the ambulance when it arrives,'' he said.
Mr Dyson was aware of medical emergencies when the unit had not been called, including to a woman who hit her head on a Lindis Pass farm and had to be airlifted to Dunedin.
The co-response unit attended only after one of the people at the property called the Omarama deputy fire chief and asked if the unit was on its way.
In another instance, a family member of one of the Omarama brigade's officers needed medical help, but the unit was not called out to assist until the ambulance arrived.
