PHOTO: ODT FILESSouth Otago St John supporters fear a letter issued by the organisation yesterday may signal the end of a paid paramedic service based in Milton. Under the proposal, Milton’s sole paid paramedic would be shifted to Balclutha, leaving the station run by volunteers and with reduced capacity to respond to emergencies locally. "Well over half the incidents in Milton are responded to by other ambulances, predominantly from Balclutha. An alternative, volunteer-run "First Response Unit" service would be initiated in Milton, and a second added to Balclutha. Brian McLeod, a Milton St John volunteer for 33 years and area chairman from 2009 to 2018, said he believed the letter showed the loss of Milton’s paid paramedic was a "foregone conclusion".

Source: Otago Daily Times September 08, 2020 16:30 UTC