COMMUNITY SERVICE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 251, 22 October 1937, Page 3

COMMUNITY SERVICE.

ST. JOHN AMBULANCE WORK.

STREET APPEAL ON* FRIDAY,

With an impressive record of service standing as testimony to tlie great benefit it confers 011 the community, the St. John Ambulance Association and Brigade hopes for generous public support when it makes its annual street appeal 011 Friday next. The wide range of its field of activities and the detailed organisation that is necessary to maintain this service, much of which is given free, should make a strong appeal to citizens.

When a serious street accident occur* or a player is hurt on a football field the first call made is to the ambulance. Twenty-four hours a day, the St. John ambulance men arc on dutv. The ambulances carried over 10.000 patients and covered BS.OOO miles last year. This includes only city trips madi ill the district under the Auckland Hospital Board's control and excludes the many long trips made to couutrv districts. St. Join, nurses, a noble'band, paid lli.ooo visits to patients. There were IS2 blood traiiM'usions given, and IS.'!9 person* instructed in first aid or home nursing.

'I he size of the organisation '.s perhaps better vi«uali*ed from the following figures. On one day in the vear a count uas made of the number of officers of the brigade on ty on sports grounds and the number of cases they treated. It was found that 34.'! games of football and hockey were attended bv 384 officers and 3l» cadets on the ,day chosen, ritev treated 717 case*. The services of the 1(!34 members of the brigade are all given free throughout the year. The main purpose of the street appeal will be to raise funds to pay for uniforms and equipment of these officers, in addition to funds required for heavy running expenses.