St. John Ambulance Competitions Held In Dunedin

Wanganui Chronicle, 8 June 1948, Page 4

St. John Ambulance Competitions Held In Dunedin

(P-A.) Dunedin, June 7. For the first time since the St. John Ambulance Brigade commenced operations in New Zealand a Domin-ion-wide contest between ambulance (men’s), and nursing (women’s) teams, was carried out at Dunedin as recognition of Otago's centennial year. The contest was allocated to Dunedin for this initial vdhture and nearly 100 visitors from all parts of the Dominion were in the city to take part in the tests, comprising eight ambulance teams and seven nursing teams actually competing. Each team comprised four brigadesmen or womenLocal competitors took 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, the Christchurch team, were second with 264.70 points, and Otago’s composite team from Port Chalmers and Hillside Workshops filled third position with 263.26 points. They were followed by Southland (253.34 points), Wanganui (245.86), South Auckland (229.82), Taranaki (228.03), and Wellington (223.4). Otago, with the North East Valley team, headed the nursing section with 267.99 points, the New Plymouth team, representing Taranaki and competing for the first time outside its own province, filled second place with 262-70 points, followed by Wellington’s Petone team with 254.69 points. Other teams competing were: Auckland 249,0 points, Canterbury Southland 221.88, and Wanganui 216.47.

Teams competing were chosen by means of elimination contests in their own districts and the standard required for Dominion competition was deliberately set high. The ambulance teams section comprised a team ot

first aid, individual practical first aid (including improvisation), an individual oral test, resuscitation, and team leaders’ efficiency. The nursing section was tested on individual first aid. oral knowledge, home nursing, bed-making, resuscitation, andd team leaders’ efficiency.