ST. JOHN AMBULANCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22708, 22 October 1935, Page 14

ST. JOHN AMBULANCE

BRIGADE NOTES Consideration for the comfort of St. John Ambulance Brigade members was shown in a suggestion adopted by the Papatoctoc Town Board recently. When discussing reserve improvements the chairman suggested that the hoard should provide a shelter for the ambulance attendants. “ These men give gratuitous service week in and week out, and are left to stand for hours in all sorts of weather at sports meetings,” he said. It was decided to instruct the Reserves Committee to prepare an estimate for a shelter shed for use as a first aid room. A new departure has been made by the St. John Ambulance Association at Auckland in the institution of first aid elasscs at the Mount Eden prison. Some 12 persons passed the examination. The annual cadet competitions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade took place at Auckland on September 21, and were very successful. A considerable number of teams competed, and the work’ of the cadets was, in the opinion of the adjudicators, of a high standard. Auckland’s fleet of ambulances, operated by the St. John organisation, received an addition lately, when the new vehicle was dedicated by Archbishop Averill on Sunday, September 2ffi One of the most important activities now undertaken by the St. John Ambulance Brigade-at-Home is that of road service, and the demand upon the seivices of members is steadily increasing. The serious nature of the injuries when accidents do occur on the roads demands a high standard of skill on the part of those rendering first aid. The members of the brigade recognise the serious responsibilities that they undertake in this respect, and do their utmost to meet them by increased efficiency. This duty involves the sacrifice of leisure hours, as it takes place during the week-ends and bank holidays of the summer mouths. Dealing with the question of motor ambulance transport, the annual report of the St. John Ambulance Brigade-at-Home says: “The brigade is fulfilling a national need in the provision and maintenance of motor ambulances. The responsibility and hard work entailed in this service is borne by the officers and members of units concerned, and the prompt and efficient manner in which calls are responded to reflects the greatest credit upon those who act as drivers and attendants. It is gratifying to note that in a largo number of towns the entire ambulance service of the town has been entrusted by the municipal authorities to the brigade. Three hundred and three motor ambulances are operated by corps and divisions, compared with 252 a year previously. These ambulances carried 122,342 patients, compared with 114,918 for the preceding year. The reported mileage is 1,304,019, against 1,040,287.” . , A considerable amount of interest was rccentlv aroused in ambulance circles in Christchurch by the annual seven-a-side Rugby tournament of the St. John Ambulance Cadets, which was held at Haglev Park. Fifteen teams competed, compared with 12 last year. The results were as follows; —Under 7st, Y.M.C.A. Division; under Bst, Christchurch Division; under Gst, Sumner Division; open grade, Y.M.C.A. Division. _ Great interest is being shown in the Labour Day competition which will be held at Timaru on Saturday and Monday. Teams from Hillside, Loco. No. 1 and Dunedin Ambulance Divisions will be competing, also nursing teams from North-East Valley and Dunedin Nursing Divisions will go north. The cadet divisions’ competitions being held at Christchurch are attracting many competitors, teams from Dunedin and Hillside Cadet Divisions attending from this district. . a . ~ ~ The Dunedin Nursing Division held its annual bed-making competition on September 30, and it was very keenly contested by the different teams. bister Mino"ul attended, and, in awarding the medal to the team consisting of Misses Pottar and Stokes, congratulated all the competitors on the high standard of work shown.