‘Lifetime Interest’ From Ambulance Training

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31319, 15 March 1967, Page 14

‘Lifetime Interest’ From Ambulance Training

One of the strengths of the St John Ambulance Brigade was that it did not aim just to keep young people amused, but sought to give them training which would give them a lifetime interest as adults, said the movement’s commis-sioner-in-chief (Rear-Admiral R. Dick) in an interview in Christchurch yesterday. Everywhere he went, people emphasised the need for voluntary workers for the move-

ment, he said. To attract young people, the brigade had its cadet activities. “It is very encouraging that in New Zealand the brigade is steadily expanding,” RearAdmiral Dick added. “This is heartening, and a sign of its effectiveness.”

There were problems over recruiting voluntary workers, he agreed, but a great deal depended on the leaders. In

this respect it was encouraging to see the movement going ahead in New Zealand.

Rear-Admiral Dick, who had a distinguished career in the Royal Navy, said the brigade could be traced back to the Order of St John, formed after the fall of Jerusalem in 1000 A.D. It had a magnififificent history of helping the injured and wounded. “But we are not an organisation sitting on tradition, and we are constantly looking forward by using the latest methods and the most effective training,” he said. Emphasis was placed on encouraging young people to keep physically fit so that they could take their first-aid skills to those who needed them, often in an emergency. Needs were met around the world, Rear-Admiral Dick said. He had been impressed by a civil emergency defence unit which had been set up in Southland. In Canada there were St. John Ambulance ski patrols, which might well be developed in New Zealand.

“But we are not a search-and-rescue team,” he said. “We are the people who go in with the search-and-rescue team to apply the skills. Above all, we are trained in first-aid.” Rear-Admiral Dick sard he had not come to New Zealand as an inspector, but as a coordinator to ensure that development was along similar lines. He will be in New Zealand until the end of this month. In June he will be succeeded by Lieutenant-General Sir William Pike as commission-er-in-chief.

Divisional Parade Members of the Canterbury and West Coast division of the St. John Ambulance Brigade were told by the commander-in-chief of the brigade (Rear-Admiral R. Dick) last evening that firstaid had saved the lives of thousands of peopie all over the world. Rear-Admiral Dick was addressing a parade in the King Edward Barracks of more than 400 officers, nurses, and cadets, from as far afield as Greymouth, Timaru, and Kaikoura. Rear-Admiral Dick was welcomed to the parade by the Mayor (Mr G. Manning) and the former Bishop of Christchurch and a Sub-Pre-late of the Order (the Rt. Rev. A. K. Warren). When he inspected the parade, Rear-Admiral Dick was accompanied by the chief commander of the St. John Ambulance in New Zealand (Brigadier J. M. Mitchell) and the commander of the Canterbury and West Coast division (Mr G. L. Falck). Rear-Admiral Dick presented awards for service and merit to Nursing Member M. A. Alexander, Sergeant C. D. Bush and Division Superintendent M. Smith (Service Award), Cadet Superintendent R. M. Woods (First Service Bar), Nursing Member V. Robertson (Second Service Bar), Diana L. Barritt, Ross L Smith, Margaret C. Slade, Anthony R. Jacks, and Jack Groot (Grand Prior awards).