FINE RECORD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 231, 30 September 1930, Page 9

FINE RECORD.

ST. JOHN AMBULANCE.

SERVICE TO COMMUNITY.

APPEAL ON FRIDAY,

i A remarkably fine record of service lias been achieved by the Auckland division of the St. John Ambulance Brigade which for the past 38 years has conducted its services in Auckland without a break. The St. John Ambulance Brigade i≤ one of the most efficient and far-reaching of the social services carried on in the community, and its uniforms and swift, silent ambulances have become so familiar that they are accepted as a matter of course. Very little thought is given tj the problems i of keeping such an organisation alive. The growth of all departments of the Auckland brigade has been phenomenal. 1 Only ten years ago the motor ambulance service was started. Mr. S. E. Langstone, j now the chief transport officer, was then the only driver of ".e one ambulance., and it was his duty, as far as possible, to maintain a 24-hour day service. There are now four ambulances and five drivers, three of whom sleep at headquarters in Rutland Street, ready for any emergency. The ambulances are of the latest type, excellently designed and equipped, a'nd have won high praise from overseas experts. , Provided there is a road, the ambu-j lances will go anywhere and at anyj time. Besides being highly skilledmotorists, the drivers are clever ambulance men. The ambulance was created] not only for cases of accident but also to take'patients from home to home, or from home to hospital and back again, or-to a mental hospital. This is a fact which should be known by all, because many sick people have suffered through lack*of knowledge in this respect. Until the work is done no question of payment is raised. Then, if the person is In a position to pay. a charge is made on the basis of 1/ a mile, or 15/ an hour. People who are not iu a position to pay! get the service free of charge. On an average the ambulances transport about 2000 oasoa in a year and cover a distance aggregating about 14,000 miles. Runs have been made to places as far afield a≤ Whakatane.

First-Aid Case 3. Another of the activities of the brigade is the rendering of first-aid, and for this purpose it has stations both at the Rutland Street headquarters and at the head of Queen's wharf. During a year about 5000 first-aid cases are attended to, the majority at the wharf. No charge is made for first-aid. Water - siders are encouraged by their employers and by the association to take advantage of the service, even in the ease of slight scratches, so as to guard against complications. The appreciation of the workers is expressed annually in a donation of 25 guineas from the union funds. The total paid permanent staff of the St. John Brigade consists only of five j drivers, four nurses and one lady clerk. The other workers are recruited for honorary nursing and .ambulance divisions. The district nurses are fully trained and registered hospital nurses. They work among the sick and run an out-patients' department at headquarters. Many children receive free treatment in this department. Tree service is also extended to old people unable to care for themselves. Perhaps after being in hospital, they are handed on by the doctors to the ambulance. The service extends, at times, to the provision of blankets and clothing. .Men who have learned first-aid form the brigades. They have to pass examinations to become eligible as members. Women similarly trained form the nursing division. Classes are held at headquarters and members can obtain j practice in the two model wards. The j women undertake their share of public) service on the hockey fields and at public | gatherings, and work in with the district j nurses in charge of patients. j Throughout the winter 40 or 50 men are detailed every Saturday afternoon to attend at football or hockey grounds. They visit places such as Swanson, Nett Lynn, Avondale and Hobsonville, and so far from being paid often pay their own fares. During the summer the men attend picnics and often give services as night nurses in homes where there are difficult patients. The hiring or lending of medical equipment or comforts is yet .another branch of the association's activities. These range from invalid chairs, water beds and surgical baths, down to crutches and air cushions. ; When Mr. William Rattray, the! honorary, secretary, took charge 3.3 years | ago the association had £00 worth of j debts, with assets consisting only of two! small books worth about, a 'shilling.! To-day it owes nothing and in addition J owns a building and up-to-date equip-

raent. The association still, however, has to depend largely on street collections for its finances'. Slight assistance has been given by the Government in the past, but tliis has totally disappeared. The annual appeal of the St. John Brigade -will be made on Friday when a street collection will be held. The clay is regarded not without anxiety by theleaders of the association because, on the extent of the response, the work of the coming year largely depends. A serious falling off in public support would prevent expansion and would also necessitate a curtailment of the most beneiicient community services that have been carried on so efficiently for such a long time. The brigade workers are confident that the response of the public will be generous.