ST. JOHN AMBULANCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22422, 17 November 1934, Page 18

ST. JOHN AMBULANCE

BRIGADE ACTIVITIES The presentation of certificates won by the members of. the Milton First and Home Nursing Classes'took, place in the Fire Brigade ’Hall on, Tuesday ‘ evening, when the chair was (Mr James Gray). There were also present the • chief., commissioner for New Zealand (Colonel George Barclay), the secretary .of ■ the St. John Ambulance Association, Dunedin (Mr A; Peters), and the Dunedin • Corps superintendent (Mr J. C, White)., Colonel Barclay gave a resume :• of the work carried outf'by the member®* of . the : brigade . in. -N,ew: Zealand and Mr White gave spme interest-ing^'-.particulars of the work done by the Dunedin divisions. At of the Mayor and othefs, who; expressed the view that in view of what had been accomplished by ; the class and, what they had •heard from’ the, visitors, something tangible should be done.r it was decided that a nursing division of. the St.John". Ambulance Brigade -be formed .in s Milton, . cii>ET competitions;: . •The most event- of . the year is the Cadet Competition;;':Tke boys and girls set an example in keenness-which might well be followed by many senior divisions. This year the' competition will he;.held at the,.’ BrjlL Two trophies will be competed for.by the girls—the Cadet Cup ,(gMs), which is a first aid ■-' and , discipline v tteffc..; ,and the Cadet Home Nursing Shield .contest, which will consist of bed-making, , sheet changing; and roller evente ing'themselves work in. the Senior Nursing ; Dmmon on. The boys have Clip < (boys),. and : the'- Seniii)i';Ck3e£ Cup (boys, both, first; aid and tr.ansport. tests, the former for privates ~'under lo years of age; and . the latter for n.c.o. s and, privates between 15 iand 18 years of age)', and the Crightoh . Shield, presented by Senior Sergeant. Andrew Crichtpn, of the Dunedin Division. This teat ikdivided into two sections’ (a) first aid,- (b) roller bandaging.,:_Points are awarded for , treatment,-. disciplineahd ■, leadership. . VALUE OF COMPETITIONS. The competitions for-.one ..year are hardly forgotten when preparatiODs. have to. be made for the next. Doubtless, many- judges are using” their feW-i; spare moments in thinking out something original in the way of tests for 1934, ihe amofiht .of time it/takes to alightVpn a suitable teat is not always The human body tq- a” candidate learning-; first; aid .cpmprisek so many bones, arteries, and organs, that it is difficult to grasp the names and positions of : each until the lectures are well advanced, but when the body is taken into consideration for’competition tests it is just .the reverse; judges sometimes wish’there were more bones and arteries because f,in setting questions it must,, always borne in mind that the first aider’s job finishes when that of the doctor commences. Efficient first aiders often state ■ they are hot advanced efiough to join a .competition team. This is quite a wrong idea.- Members of competition -teams are nothing more than efficient,#- first aiders/ Further, competitions were commenced hot for the few but for; to encourage all first aiders to maintain their efficiency. Gases are known where keen and efficient first aiders face: the examiner annually and pass with honours,, but mention the question of competitions and they lose their confidence in them,*; selves. If they do not fear' the'- ei--aminer they heed not fear the competition judge. It is because they have-not realised that a judge is also aether, division’s surgeon, and because of this they admit that the other division is the more efficient., , . - ' ; The value, of competition work, is • not ..... fully appreciated. There are units which• - look upon competitions as a waste- or , time because last year’s winners are too advanced to be beaten. The ..value 0t... competition,work should, not always b® judged by the position of a team in any: ; particular competition, and a; low ppsi- .- • tion should not cause the competitor to look upon the time epent m trajnmg _aa being wasted. The time has .been far from wasted, because such .training; has been beneficial. It caused fre «“ et , r r ence to the First Aid Book, enabledideas r and thoughts to be excbanged. ; healthy rivalry, and;permittedl combiner. .. tion- of effort, cemented abled officer, n.c.o.’s, and men pf various unite in a given area to ■ • pare notes in the work of mefey whica all members of * h e brigade are doing in the cause of suffering humanity.