Two new national agreements are connecting New Zealand's ambulance communications centres directly with Surf Life Saving and Coastguard for the first time.
The first, between Hato Hone St John, Wellington Free Ambulance and Surf Life Saving (SLSNZ) ensures emergencies called into ambulance occurring on a beach or in the water can be shared immediately with SLSNZ – no matter the time or day. This is done through a secure network between HHStJ and SLSNZ’s national operations and communications centre, SurfCom, based within Auckland’s Marine Rescue Centre. SLSNZ’s communications staff can then dispatch lifeguards to provide rescue or first aid services to those in need.
This arrangement was first piloted in 2018 between HHStJ and SLSNZ and covered the northern part of the country. Since then, more than 150 lives have been saved and thousands more patients have received timely care. The new agreement expands this nationwide and brings Wellington Free Ambulance into the framework for the first time.
The second agreement between Hato Hone St John and Coastguard Tautiaki Moana also sees Coastguard’s National Operations Centre connected with the same technology, to enable efficient and timely information sharing by ambulance. It establishes a nationally consistent vessel-based coordinated response model, enabling ambulance clinicians to reach patients at locations only accessible by boat. This is the first time a national level agreement has existed between the two organisations.
Previously, coordination between ambulance, SLSNZ and Coastguard varied by region, with no consistent national approach. These agreements change that, giving all four organisations a common system and getting marine partners into the response faster.
Hato Hone St John Integrated Operations Centre Primary Triage & Dispatch Manager, John-Michael Swannix, says the agreements show how the emergency sector is working together to modernise and be more interconnected. "Until now, every time we needed to alert a marine partner about an incident or update them on a change – like a patient's location shifting – we had to pick up the phone. In 2026, we can do better than that.”
“These agreements enable our dispatchers to share incident information instantly and keep it updated in real time. It's faster, more reliable and leaves less opportunity for error.
“The benefit is straightforward. When someone needs help somewhere that Coastguard or Surf Life Saving may be best placed to reach or support, we can get the relevant teams involved earlier and coordinate the response better from the outset.”
SurfCom Manager, Laura Beanland-Stephens, says Surf Life Saving has more than 90 patrol locations operating over summer around the country, and 40 Search and Rescue squads that can be mobilised 24/7 if required. "We have highly skilled surf lifeguards all over the motu who are capable and willing to help those in need, but they can only help if we know what's happening. In the past, if someone had a cardiac arrest away from a club’s patrolling area, such as in the beach carpark, surf lifeguards on patrol might not have known about it. Now, if it's called into 111, ambulance dispatchers can send it straight to SurfCom, who can alert surf lifeguards to provide first aid and defibrillation until paramedics arrive.
"Our marine environment is dynamic and incidents are inherently time critical. If someone is caught in a rip or injured on rocks with the tide coming in, every minute counts – and in some cases, every second. Now, with the ability to quicky share information no matter where in the country, we can work with emergency services and the coordinating authorities to get help faster to those who need it.
“This is particularly helpful for those visiting or living in remote coastal communities, where help can sometimes be a while away and surf lifeguards are often the only resource nearby.”
Coastguard Tautiaki Moana General Manager Response and Operations, Kylie Higgs, says the agreement means people who need medical transport from places only reachable by water will get to care more smoothly. “It might be someone on an island, or out on the water, who isn’t in immediate danger but needs to get to medical care, and the only way there is by boat. Being alerted directly by Hato Hone St John means our National Operations Centre can plan with ambulance from the start, so Coastguard volunteers can bring a clinician to the patient and get them where they need to go.”
“For the person we’re helping, that means less time waiting, a clear plan from the outset and a smooth handover to ambulance care once they’re back on shore. It’s a great example of Coastguard and ambulance working side by side.”
Wellington Free Ambulance Head of Clinical Communications, Hannah Crombie, says being part of the national framework provides a more consistent approach to working with our marine-sector partners. “Having a common system for information sharing and activation means we can coordinate more effectively and involve the appropriate capability for each incident.
“This agreement strengthens the way our organisations work together and supports a more connected approach to emergency response across the country,” says Ms Crombie.
The national arrangements have required collaboration across all four organisations, including work on governance, privacy and operational design.
They provide a common framework for information sharing and activation while supporting each organisation to contribute the capability appropriate to the incident.
ENDS
Hato Hone St John provides emergency ambulance services to 90 percent of people in New Zealand across 97 percent of the country. Hato Hone St John is made up of a mix of full-time paid staff and volunteers. Along with the emergency ambulance service, Hato Hone St John operates a significant number of community health programmes and other activities which help build community resilience. They include Waka Ora Health Shuttles, ASB Caring Caller, St John Youth, and St John in Schools. Hato Hone St John also delivers event health services, medical alarm services, first aid training, and operates retail stores across the country.
About Wellington Free Ambulance
Wellington Free Ambulance is the only emergency ambulance service for Greater Wellington and Wairarapa. Our services are uniquely free of charge to patients, a founding value since 1927 that we’re fiercely proud of.
In addition to emergency ambulance services, we also offer a patient transfer service, event medical services and free community CPR training, including how to use an AED, through The Lloyd Morrison Foundation Heartbeat programme.
About Coastguard Tautiaki Moana
Coastguard Tautiaki Moana is a charity and New Zealand's primary maritime search and rescue organisation. Its 2,000 volunteers operate from 62 units nationwide, from Houhora to Bluff. Along with search and rescue, Coastguard provides non-urgent assistance to people on the water and delivers education and community engagement programmes including Bar Awareness seminars, Bluefin Tuna Safety seminars and Suddenly in Charge workshops.
Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) is the national charity and leading authority for beach safety and coastal drowning prevention across Aotearoa. Representing 74 clubs and more than 19,000 members, SLSNZ is dedicated to ensuring nobody drowns on New Zealand's beaches. Each summer, over 4,500 volunteer Surf Lifeguards patrol more than 90 coastal locations, providing vital beach patrols between the red and yellow flags, community safety education, and 24/7 emergency search and rescue responses.
For further information please contact:
Hato Hone St John media team
Wellington Free Ambulance media team
Coastguard Tautiaki Moana media team
Surf Life Saving media team