First Dominion Contest Between Ambulance Teams

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26792, 8 June 1948, Page 6

First Dominion Contest Between Ambulance Teams

For the first time since the St. John Ambulance Brigade commenced operations in New Zealand, a Dominion-wide contest between ambulance (men’s) and nursing (women’s) teams was carried out at the Girls’ High School yesterday. As a recognition of Otago’s centennial year, the contest was allocated to Dunedin for this initial venture and nearly 100 visitors from Auckland to Invercargill were in the city to take part in the tests—there being eight ambulance teams and seven nursing teams actually competing, each team comprised of four brigadesmen or women.

The local competitors were the most successful, taking first place in the nursing section and third in the ambulance section. Auckland, represented by the Otahuhu Railway Ambulance Division team, headed the ambulance section with 284.35 points. Canterbury’s representatives, a Christchurch team, were second with 264.70 points, and Otago’s composite team from Port Chalmers arid Hillside Workshops filled third position with 263.26 points. They were followed by Southland (253.34 points), Wanganui (245.86 points), South Auckland (229.82 points). Taranaki (228 06 points), and Wellington (223.41 points). Otago, with a North-East Valley teSm, headed the nursing section with 267.99 points. A New Plymouth team representing Taranaki and competing for the first time outside their own province filled second place with 262.70 points, followed by Wellington's Pqtone team with 254.69 points. The other teams competing were Auckland (249.0 points)., Canterbury (232.23 points), Southland (221.88 points), and Wanganui (216.47 points). With uniformed brigade personnel everywhere and bandages, hospital cots and other first aid appurtenances very much in evidence, the Girls’ High School yesterday appeared as though it was ready to receive the victim of a major catastrophe. It was hardly surprising that many passers-by paused and asked apprehensively what was going on. Before the competitions were commenced, the greetings of the Priory Commission were conveyed to the teams by Mr F. W. Ward (Wellington).

The teams competing were chosen by means of elimination contests in their own districts and the standard required for the Dominion competition was deliberately set high. The ambulance teams’ section comprised team first aid, individual practical first aid (including improvisation), individual oral test, resuscitation, and team leaders’ efficiency. The nursing section were tested in individual first- aid, oral knowledge, home nursing, bedmaking, resuscitation and team leaders’ efficiency. Entertainments for the visitors included a bus tour of the city and last evening a social function at the Hillside Social Hall, during which the trophies were awarded.