00:01The Northern Territories Ambulance Service reached a critical failure point this weekend
00:07and for duty manager Samantha Cooper this came as no surprise.
00:12It's never off the cards for me, it's not something that I don't think is ever not going to happen.
00:16Unfortunately it did happen and unfortunately it will happen again until something changes.
00:22In just seven hours St John Ambulance received 144 calls for help.
00:27More than 60 had to be abandoned and 14 life-threatening cases were left waiting.
00:33One for over five hours.
00:35So unfortunately it got to the point where we had to ask our crews to forego their meal breaks
00:40and their fatigue breaks during that high workload or high demand period
00:44and they were asking people to almost give up their human rights.
00:47Having already worked 12 hour shifts exhausted crews were asked to stay back
00:52putting both patients and staff at risk.
00:55Yesterday the Territories Health Minister Steve Edgington said in a statement
00:59additional resources and support staff had been provided to St John to help ease the pressure.
01:05But the Ambulance Service says they're yet to see any change.
01:09I haven't seen an extra resource for many many years within this organisation.
01:12So unfortunately something like I said has to change.
01:16They need to start listening to us and understanding that we are an essential service.
01:20Unless the State of the Service particularly worrying for the Territories older population.
01:25Wouldn't it just be horrific when you know your loved one could have been saved and safely in hospital
01:33with all the care they need yet they can't get there.
01:37What sort of country do we live in? We're not a third world country.
01:41Questions many locals are now demanding answers for.
01:45Have a great day.
01:47Big blur.
01:48You
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