About Us
We are the only emergency ambulance service in greater Wellington and the Wairarapa, and the only ones in the country who are free.
We are the only emergency ambulance service in greater Wellington and the Wairarapa, and the only ones in the country who are free.
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Minimising adverse impacts from COVID-19
Minimising adverse impacts from COVID-19
The roads are eerily empty when Jimmy Crombie drives to work each day. It’s one of the many things that has changed since New Zealand moved to alert level 4 due to COVID-19.
Jimmy has worked at Wellington Free for almost 10 years. In that time he’s had a number of roles including an Extended Care Paramedic on the road. His role now is Response Manager for the Wellington Free Ambulance Incident Management Team (IMT).
Minimising adverse impacts from COVID-19 and working to maintain normal service operations to deliver best patient care is the goal, but this has meant more change for Jimmy and his team.
“It’s been a massive change of pace and the work within our team has been inspiring.
“Everyone is understandably stressed but there’s a huge team of people behind us. There are those on the road, at head office and at home, as well as those behind the scenes helping ensure our staff, patients and community are as safe as possible,” says Jimmy.
As Wellington Free continues to respond to business as usual, there are also many new processes to follow.
Jimmy explains it has been a massive change but we’ve still been able to maintain the level of care Wellington Free is known for.
“Changes come fast as knowledge about COVID-19 develops and new practices emerge, so the IMT must keep on top of this.”
Despite the changing environment, the most important thing Jimmy wants the community to know is that Wellington Free is here for you.
“We are working hard every day to keep you safe and well.”
If you ring 111 we, along with Fire and Emergency NZ and New Zealand Police will continue to respond to emergencies. However please only call 111 if you are facing an emergency.
Remember you can also call Healthline’s dedicated COVID-19 number – 0800 358 5453 – if you have concerns about your health or the health of others.