Newly branded ambulances roll out for summer

The newly designed ambulance.

Hato Hone St John is proud to roll out its new Waka Manaaki branded ambulances this summer, further aligning its connection and commitment to serving the people of New Zealand.

Ambulances are one of the most visible connections we have with communities across the country.

As new ambulances and specialist response vehicles join our fleet, they will now include a new livery design more connected with New Zealand – while increasing the volume of reflective material on the rear of the vehicle.

These improvements help maximise visibility to increase the safety for our people and patients.

A total of 50 new vehicles featuring the new design will be commissioned around the country during 2023, which has all been made possible thanks to Hato Hone St John donors.

Hato Hone St John Ambulance operations deputy chief executive Dan Ohs says the yellow and green colour scheme, originally adopted because of its high visibility, remains but is enhanced.

'The new Waka Manaaki design connects well with our previous livery, while also connecting with our communities in a way which is uniquely kiwi," he says.

''Waka' means transport method and ‘Manaaki' means to take care of. If we break 'Manaaki' down 'Mana' is one's power and 'aki' means to encourage or empower – which is essential for our patients.”

Hato Hone St John Ambulance National equity manager Dan Spearing says considerable attention has been given to achieve a balance between connecting and grounding our design in New Zealand, adhering to tikanga Māori and ensuring we meet strict mandatories around safety for our people and patients.

'The new Waka Manaaki design also acknowledges tangata whenua (people of the land) and connects us all to te ao Māori (the Māori world). Furthermore, this design represents us a distinctive ambulance service within Aotearoa and reflects our journey to achieving better health outcomes for all, especially where health inequity is most prevalent.”

Spearing adds that the organisation acknowledges the use of kaupapa Māori design comes with great responsibility.

'The responsibility to ensure we whakamana (empower) and continue to make a tangible difference for the health outcomes of Māori,” he says.

Ohs says with the safety of patients and ambulance crews top of mind, Hato Hone St John has been careful to ensure the new concept maintains the function and physical safety of its transporting ambulances.

'We believe our newest ambulances are the first in the world to visually incorporate emergency vehicle safety standards while embracing cultural designs that acknowledge our tangata whenua. We're delighted to lead the way and see these vehicles being rolled out,” Ohs says.

'The new vehicles retain their visual connection with St John organisations worldwide and the addition of our translated name ‘Hato Hone' incorporates one of New Zealand's official languages bringing a stronger connection with the important work we do with communities right here.

'St John International is strongly supportive, and we are pleased to be the first St John organisation in the world to do this.”

The new look ambulances and specialist response vehicles are currently hitting streets across the motu as the vehicle fleet is replaced in the coming years.

More on the design meaning

  • The transformation of the design to a Waka Manaaki was underpinned by three concepts centred around care for all New Zealanders: Manaaki tangata, or care for individuals; Manaaki whānau, or care for families, communities and staff; and Manaaki hauora, care for all of our collective health and wellbeing.

The design encompasses Manaia functioning as kaitiaki, providing safe passage through our communities and protecting patients and staff within.

Taurapa stabilises, balances and creates safe passage for the waka.

Tāwhirimātea propels the kaupapa forward while binding and galvanising our varied communities and stakeholders.

The rauponga illustrates the treasured care and protection of patients and the community.

The manawa ‘heartline' represents the beating heart that runs through our organisation and work we do.

  • A working group from Hato Hone St John, including representatives of the emergency ambulance service, Kāhui Mauaka Māori Responsiveness Team, Brand, and Corporate Operations, worked alongside Māori design agency Haumi and strategic brand agency Origami, to develop a design that is inclusive and represents all peoples and cultures who have made their own journey, at some point, on waka to arrive in New Zealand, while paying homage to the heritage and history of Aotearoa.
  • Haumi consulted with members of Ngāti Whātua o Ōrākei, other iwi representatives, specialists in ngā toi Māori (Māori arts) including waka building experts, to guide Hato Hone St John throughout the design and development process and ensure authenticity, appropriateness, and alignment with tikanga Māori.
  • An initial concept vehicle was commissioned over a year ago with our major partner, ASB, covering the cost of the initial design application. The concept vehicle completed a journey around New Zealand, where we received more than a thousand pieces of feedback before being blessed by local iwi and going into operation in Rotorua.
  • Waka Manaaki is being applied to all new vehicles to be commissioned in the Hato Hone St John fleet including G4.1 Ambulance, Major Incident Support Team (MIST) Truck, Command Units and Patient Transfer Services – noting the design is not being applied to existing vehicles.
  • Both our updated name, and refreshed ambulance designs, will be phased in as we create new materials, get new vehicles or open new buildings. This means you will see both old and new logos and designs for some time but ensures we are taking the most cost effective and financially responsible approach.

More information about this journey can be found here https://www.stjohn.org.nz/ourjourney

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14 comments

design

Posted on 26-01-2023 12:39 | By dumbkof2

when i want an ambulance i don't care what design is on them. i also think designs should be kept to a bare minimum


What A Mess

Posted on 26-01-2023 12:43 | By Yadick

This does not reflect the people of NZ. It reflects A people of NZ. So this sort of stupidity is what St John spends their much needed, we need financial help, money on. What was wrong with the previous design? This is poor money management. How on earth can you cry poverty and do this. My monthly donation stops immediately.


Money well spent?

Posted on 26-01-2023 12:56 | By Wundrin

Bearing in mind St John's constant rhetoric around inadequate funding, can someone please explain to me how this rebranding is financially justifiable? And how is it going to improve my "health outcomes"?


Curious ?

Posted on 26-01-2023 15:22 | By waiknot

All this change to include Māori has me wondering what percentage of Māori want this. Or are we pandering to a small vocal minority?


St John Ambulance

Posted on 26-01-2023 15:25 | By Tauranga Newbie

Its seems to me that when St John's complain about being short funded, spending money on this rebranding could be better used. Just remember 80% of NZders are not Maori. Sorry no more donations from this family


Multiculturalism

Posted on 26-01-2023 18:20 | By Andrew64

If they want to be representative of the people why not have vehicles adorned with Indian, Chinese, Korean and Pacifica decorations. Why is everything in this country about Maori? It’s time to say no. I had a donation of a new ambulance in my will; I’m removing it. I’m not having my donation covered in Maori drawings and language.


Come on

Posted on 26-01-2023 18:36 | By Informed

Sunlive readers showing their usual racism


Everything must be ok

Posted on 26-01-2023 19:06 | By Avgeek

I guess they have no more need for donations as they obviously have money to burn! The Staff will no doubt be glad they included the Taupapa in the design while they battle chronic shortages.


What's The Cost?

Posted on 27-01-2023 07:36 | By Thats Nice

Pretty sure you won't continue to get doners if this is what their donations are being used for. There's nothing wrong with the current ambulances. Another "working group" required also I see. If it's not broken...........


@ Informed

Posted on 28-01-2023 07:55 | By Thats Nice

I am not racist thank you very much - far from it, if you knew me. I don't like money being wasted "anywhere" if it's not required, plain and simple and everyone is entitled to their opinion. Not everything and everyone are racist btw. It's in the perception.


Waste of donated money

Posted on 28-01-2023 08:40 | By Doug Longmire

The public have always respected St John and supported with donations. However, this costly and discriminatory artwork which is totally unnecessary will make many donors, including me, to stop funding this woke money wasting.


@Andrews64

Posted on 28-01-2023 12:54 | By morepork

Your gesture was noble. Why would you demean it because of some graphic design? Many people, of ALL races and Ethnicities could benefit from your legacy. I agree with your distaste for wokeism, but Maoritanga IS part of our culture and is uniquely Kiwi. I really hope you'll reconsider this; it is the book that is important, not the cover.


Objections are unfair.

Posted on 28-01-2023 13:06 | By morepork

For people to withdraw their commendable donations to a cause that affects ALL NZers is simply sad. We live under a woke government that tries to placate Maori, and the procedures for acquisition have to recognize this. St John COULDN'T BUY an ambulance (while they are accepting funds from government) WITHOUT doing the things they did. They properly followed the laid-down requirements. Is it SO terrible? Why not think of it as YOUR donation funds the necessary equipment and the GOVERNMENT funds the signwriting? It doesn't hurt to include iwi considerations into the end result, AS LONG AS the cost of doing so is not outrageous. If it cost thousands of dollars for a "blessing", then people have a case for withholding their donations; otherwise, this is a very worthy cause and deserves our support.


@informed

Posted on 28-01-2023 13:17 | By morepork

Instead of screaming: "Racism!", why don't you look at what causes it? Invariably we see racist attitudes and tendencies when the playing field is uneven and someone gets a better deal than you do, not from merit, but simply because of their skin colour. If everybody got the same deal, Racism would be pointless. If YOU donated money to something and then found out that a considerable amount of it was lost in administering processes and procedures that you disagreed with, wouldn't you have a right to be offended? It doesn't make you a Racist. If the same processes did NOT detract from the donation, whether you disagreed with them or not, wouldn't you still make the donation? Don't just look at the apparency; seek for the underlying reasons. Great progress against Racism has been made in the last 60 years. Most Kiwis today are NOT racist.


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