AMBULANCE WORK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23482, 20 October 1939, Page 3

AMBULANCE WORK

ORDER OF ST. JOHN WOMEN'S VALUABLE AID SPECIAL TRAINING CLASSES Still continuing •with its manifold peace-time activities, the St. John Ambulance Association is working under high pressure at present with war work of various kinds now added to its field of service. A sincere tribute to the ambulance sisters was paid yesterday by Mrs. E. Carnmell, lady district officer, who said she could not Bay enough in appreciation of their voluntary service prior to and since the outbreak of war. Morning, afternoon .and night those sisters were teaching the practical side of first aid, added Mrs. Cammell. The St. John Ambulance Association had put through 7000 first-aid trainees, and, the majority of this number having been women, the ambulance sisters had found their time well occupied in conducting the practical classes. Many of these nurses had also been taking air-raid precautions instruction and had, in turn, become teachers of the same subject. For the purpose of helping with tho first-aid classes', the ambulance sisters travelled nil over Auckland, including the North Shore districts and outer suburbs. A new nursing division had been started at Ellerslie, said Mrs. Cammell, and others at Point Chevalier and Otahuhu. The association had also been' sending members into the Auckland Hospital for intensive training, and it was hoped shortly to form a voluntarj' aid detachment of 20, tho members of which would be specially trained for cases of emergency. Since the beginning of March to the end of August the association had 20 women training in the Auckland Hospital every Saturday afternoon. This system had now been changed, and members had begun an intensive course, taking week about with the Red Cross members. working from Monday to Saturday inclusive and putting in nine hours' work each day.

Valuable work was also being carried out by the sewing guild at the ambulance station, the members meeting every Wednesday afternoon, continued Mrs." Cammell. Prior to the outbreak of war the members concentrated on making clothes, which were handed to the district nurses for distribution among poor people. Emergency work was, however, now being done, and the members were busily making bandages, swabs and other dressings, as well as knitting socks and other garments for men in service.

FIRST AID IN SCHOOLS CERTIFICATES PRESENTED The presentation of first-aid certificates to pupils of the Onehunga and the Mangere Bridge Public Schools was made yesterday by Mr. F. J. Hutchinson, assistant-commissioner of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, who was accompanied by District Officer C. Lindesav and the lady divisional superintendent, Mrs. C. Bassett. Mr. Hutchinson congratulated the successful candidates and stressed the importance of a knowledge of first aid. A class in ladies' first aid was started at Mount Albert j-esterday, and another ladies' class was commenced at the ambulance station.