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St John Ambulance Declares Major Incident After Record 2,562 Calls

8/9/2026

29 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

St John Ambulance declared a major incident after a record 2,562 111 calls on Saturday.
The surge, the third daily-record breach this week, pushed call volume to 2,562—well above the usual ~1,900—and saw handlers answer a call every 20 seconds at its peak.
The 2026 Budget earmarked $35 million over four years for two new Auckland hubs, staff and technology, Health Minister Simeon Brown said.

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Story summary

St John Ambulance declared a major incident after a record 2,562 111 calls on Saturday.
The surge, the third daily-record breach this week, pushed call volume to 2,562—well above the usual ~1,900—and saw handlers answer a call every 20 seconds at its peak.
The 2026 Budget earmarked $35 million over four years for two new Auckland hubs, staff and technology, Health Minister Simeon Brown said.