Long waits for ambulance in Coromandel, people could die

A Coromandel man who lives a few minutes from an ambulance station waited nearly 3 hours for his partner to be transported to hospital after reportedly suffering a stroke. It comes after 300 St John Ambulance officers called off 2 planned strikes this week over concerns about shift pay, reduction of wages and rostering. Tairua resident John Smith says his partner could have died waiting if her condition had been more serious. And he told our reporter Ella Stewart if St John doesn't have the money to do its job, perhaps the Fire Service can.