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Hato Hone St John says it has activated its major incident response following the busiest single day on record for the emergency ambulance service and a week of sustained, exceptional demand.
Demand is expected to remain high across the country today, Monday, traditionally the busiest day for ambulance workload, it says.
On Saturday, August 8, some 2562 calls were made to the ambulance service through 111 – the highest number received in a single day.
This placed significant pressure on emergency call-handling staff and frontline crews. A normal day would see around 1900 calls.
Hato Hone St John director of ambulance operations, Doug Gallagher, says it was the third time the daily record has been broken last week, with 2404 calls received on Monday, August 3, and 2454 calls on Thursday, August 6.
“All three days were busier than any recorded during the Covid-19 pandemic or on traditionally high-volume dates such as New Year’s Eve.
“At the peak, emergency call handlers were answering a call every 20 seconds,” Gallagher says.
The ambulance service had received 15,268 calls last week by 2pm on Sunday, August 9.
It’s on track to exceed the previous weekly record of 15,289 calls, set between July 27 and August 2.
That week broke the previous record of 14,984 calls, set between August 25-31, 2025.
“Saturday is not normally our busiest day, so this level of demand is highly unusual,” says Gallagher.
“Our emergency ambulance staff are continuing to respond effectively, but the workload is not showing the signs of easing that we would normally expect over a weekend.
“With demand remaining high and Mondays typically bringing the greatest workload, we’re preparing for further pressure.”
Hato Hone St John says it has declared a major incident and activated its Emergency Operations Centre to strengthen national coordination and ensure all reasonable steps are being taken to maintain a safe response.
“This is an early and precautionary decision to help us continue providing safe and effective care during an unprecedented period of demand,” Gallagher says.
“We want to reassure people that emergency ambulance help remains available, and we’re continuing to respond to those who need us.”
Activating the major incident response gives Hato Hone St John a clear national structure for coordinating decisions and resources at pace.
The Emergency Operations Centre brings operational, clinical and support teams together to maintain a detailed national view of demand and ambulance availability, monitor risk and take further action as conditions change.
It also supports closer coordination with Health New Zealand and hospital partners.
“Our first priority is patient safety. Ambulance staff continue to prioritise people with life-threatening and time-critical conditions,” says Gallagher.
“People should call 111 immediately when someone is seriously ill or injured or there is an immediate threat to life.”
During exceptional demand, some people with less urgent conditions may wait longer than usual.
If someone’s condition becomes more serious after calling 111, they should call again and provide an update.
When it is clinically safe and appropriate, a person calling 111 may receive advice from a clinician or support to access another healthcare service rather than an ambulance response.
Ambulance personnel may also assess and treat suitable patients at home, refer them to another provider or help them access care somewhere other than an emergency department.
“These are clinically led decisions based on the individual patient’s condition and needs.
“They’re about providing the right care, at the right time and in the right place,” Gallagher says.
Hato Hone St John is encouraging people with non-emergency health concerns to seek advice early and check which services are available locally.
Options may include a GP, Health NZ’s online GP care service, a pharmacist, an urgent-care provider or Healthline on free phone 0800 611 116.
Availability, opening hours and waiting times vary, so people are advised to check before travelling and should not delay calling 111 in an emergency.
Hato Hone St John says it’s working closely with Health NZ and other health-sector partners to manage demand, maintain patient safety and support patient flow.
The major incident arrangements will be reviewed regularly against current demand, ambulance availability and wider health-system conditions.
