ST. JOHN AMBULANCE

Southland Times, Issue 20496, 26 May 1928, Page 8

ST. JOHN AMBULANCE

FIRST AID CLASSES. (Contributed.) Margaret Slattery in one of her books tells the story of a group of young people on a bathing beach enjoying ‘themselves on a summer afternoon, when suddenly the cry went up that one of the bathers had gone down and was in danger of drowning. The young people on the shore ran helplessly up and down looking in vain for someone to rescue their companion; but not being expert divers they were unable to help. Hearing a cry, a young man, expert in swimming and diving, came running down the beach, throwing off his clothes as he ran. In a little while he had brought the drowning girl to shore, and after a vigorous application of first aid soon restored her to consciousness. All of the young people that day would have liked to share in the rescue of their drowning companion. All had zeal, earnestness, and the desire to help, but lacked the skill in swimming, diving and life-saving. The young man who made the rescue knew how; and were it not for his timely action, what life-long regrets would have tormented those well-meaning friends who could only stand helplessly by! Carnival week in Invercargill will be remembered on account of the large numbers of accidents that occurred on the crowded streets. It is a known fact that in some cases, the crowd of men and women looked on ’ helplessly, until a few with presence of mind equal to the situation came forward to give the required assistance to the injured one. Surely the necessity of equipping ourselves with a knowledge of first aid to the injured is obvious to all. It Is for the pur pose of equipping men and women to render first aid in times of necessity that the St. John Ambulance Association holds its classes in first aid every year, in the course of which instruction in practical and theoretical work is given. The classes for men and for women begin next week, as will be advertised in this paper. A cordial invitation is extended to all to join these classes. The time spent in the brigade rooms, Esk street, is time well spent. To the mother of a family, to the girl in business, in fact to a woman in any calling whatsoever the day will undoubtedly come when she should lend assistance in binding up broken limbs or in stemming the flow of life-blood. A little thing it may seem to stop the bleeding of an artery, but how important is that little thing. Whether life is to be saved, or life is to be lost may depend on us—our knowledge of the principles of first aid, and our ability to apply our knowledge in doing the right thing at the right time. The members of the Invercargill Nursing Division appeal to the women of Southland to prepare themselves for this kind of service to humanity, and to co-operate with them in making the first aid classes this year larger and more successful than ever before. Further particulars may be obtained from Mr T. Hide, president of the St. John Ambulance Association, or from Mrs G. Chapman (Liddell street) lady superintendent of the St. John Nursing Division.