18 February 2025/Published byEmma Bass/Toyota News

Miles Toyota Supports Akaroa Health with a Fortuner as their PRIME Vehicle

Our Miles Toyota team are committed to making a real difference in their community. Their recent support for Akaroa Health is a prime example.

PRIME in Akaroa

In an effort to enhance its Primary Emergency Response Vehicle (PRIME) service, Akaroa Health now has a 4WD Toyota Fortuner at its disposal, provided by Miles Toyota. The PRIME service is a critical, nationwide health initiative that supports local rural communities in responding to life-threatening emergencies in the region. The Fortuner is not just another vehicle; it’s a lifeline that ensures the team can respond quickly to emergencies in even the most remote and difficult-to-reach areas – often meaning the difference between life and death.

About Akaroa Health

Akaroa Health provides vital healthcare services to the local community, covering an expansive area of vast terrain from the township itself to the far-reaching hills and bays. This includes GP services, aged care, and emergency response support. However, with a geographical area that stretches over a large and often challenging terrain, the need for reliable, robust, and safe transport has never been more critical. This challenge is heightened by an aging population and Akaroa’s popularity as a tourist and recreation hotspot, increasing demand on Akaroa Health and making a swift response more important than ever.

The Fortuner’s Key Role

Akaroa Health’s PRIME service plays a vital role in the rural health landscape. The team, supported by volunteers and trained professionals, responds to life-threatening emergencies in remote areas including heart attacks, strokes, severe fractures, hypothermia, and a myriad of other serious ailments. Given the region’s vastness, with those needing help often located in isolated spots up to 90 minutes from Christchurch, the terrain can be treacherous—whether it’s navigating a muddy hill, winding gravel roads, or flood-prone areas. In these conditions, this vehicle is indispensable in ensuring rapid response times.

Before the Fortuner, the team was forced to rely on personal vehicles, which were often ill-equipped for the rugged conditions they faced. This meant that in some cases, they had to move essential medical gear between vehicles or take extra time navigating difficult terrain, all of which could cost precious, life-threatening minutes. Now, with the Fortuner, the team has immediate access to a reliable, fully equipped vehicle that’s ready for action. Its four-wheel drive capabilities allow the team to navigate with speed and confidence, ensuring timely access to patients in critical situations.

Akaroa Health's PRIME response Fortuner, provided by Miles Toyota

“Until now, PRIME has been using their own personal vehicles to respond to emergencies. Our vehicles are not always suitable for the conditions we go to, either with poor roads (if any) or treacherous weather. The vehicle sponsored by Miles Toyota has made such a difference, the space we now have to store our gear is incredible, meaning it’s easy to find and pull out what we need, instead of digging through a small car boot. The idea of being able to use it to go off-road, will make all the difference when time is of the essence.”

Jude MarksRegistered PRIME Nurse

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Supporting Community Safety

The Fortuner has become more than just a vehicle; it’s an integral part of the wider community’s safety infrastructure. Recognising the importance of having the right vehicle for the job, we provided the Fortuner at no cost to Akaroa Health, giving them the time to secure funding while ensuring it was suitable for their needs. Akaroa Health plans to purchase the vehicle through community funding at a discounted price, ensuring the long-term sustainability of its emergency response efforts.

A Strong Partnership with Miles Toyota

At Miles Toyota, we’re proud to provide vehicles that support those who give so much to our communities. We’re excited to be part of this meaningful collaboration and look forward to seeing the positive impact it has on the people of Akaroa and the wider community.