VOLUNTARY AID

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21357, 27 February 1941, Page 8

VOLUNTARY AID

! RED CROSS PROGRESS TWO DETACHMENTS FORMED . | APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS ' As a number of certificate holders ) in the Hamilton Sub-centre of the Red Cross Society have completed their 60 hours’ hospital training and the regulations governing voluntary aid detachments have just been " promulgated, steps were taken at a 2 meeting of certificate holders in 1 Hamilton this week to form Voluna tary Aid Detachments. Miss D. Menzies, Matron of the 1 Waikato Hospital, who has been ap- ? pointed Centre Advisory Director, 5 presided at the meeting and rer quested Mr A. E. Gibbons to outline 5 the organisation and role of Voluni tary Aid Detachments. Stress was laid on the need for i the early and proper organisation of r all those women who have qualified 1 by examination in order that should 3 an emergency arise in the near futj ure they could take their place without undue delay, where their special ’ qualifications would be of the utmost 1 benefit in the general interests of the community. r It was explained, in the event of * emergency occurring, that the 1 V.A.D.’s would come under the Health Department or the DirectorGeneral of Medical Services, and the ! probable duties the Waikato detachments would be asked to perform : were outlined. I As there were over three hundred women holding one or more Red Cross certificates in Hamilton alone it would be appreciated that if this . knowledge were properly organised r and applied what a useful part the l V.A.’s could play. Any person hold- . ing one certificate becomes eligible < to join the Detachment as an Associate V.A. Two Detachments Formed J Two detachments were formed at > the meeting and the commandant of » the third detachment was appointed, J as it was confidently expected that at least three detachments will be formed in Hamilton when the need , was realised. Each detachment conj sists of 48 members plus officers, , section leaders and certain specialists. ; A detachment is a self-contained unit and could fully staff a small hospital. It consists of four sections of twelve members, each section being able to staff a hospital ward if need be. As the Red Cross movement in ; the Waikato is young that standard L is not yet reached by the majority, > but every encouragement and assist- > ance will be given to the personnel i to reach the reauired standard. For the present the Waikato detachments will be divided as follows: No. 1 -section, members who have com- - nleted 60 hours’ hospital training; No. i 2 section, first aid certificate holders; ' No. 3 section, home nursing certifi- ; cate holders; No. 4 section, those ; holding their transport and motor mechanics certificates and have comj pleted a three months’ course in . ; either home nursing or first aid. . j Appointments Announced : The following appointments were announced:—Centre Advisory Direc- * tor, Miss D. Menzies; Centre Commandant, Mrs R. S. A. Graham; No. J 1 Detachment Commandant, Sister H. J. S. Johnson; No. 2 Detachment Commandant, Sister C. Hooker; No. 3 ' Detachment Commandant, Sister B. L. Montgomery; assistant command- , ants: Mrs M. D. Gibbons, Miss O. j Moody; lady superintendants, Mrs A. i Miller, Sister Montgomery; head sec- | tion leaders, Miss G. Osmond, Mrs T. Forsman; assistant secretary, Miss I. j Pearce. j The detachments will have their | first field exercise on March 8, when they will co-operate with the Home I Guard by establishing and manning a | casualty clearing station and also manning the ambulances for evacua- , tion of casualties from the Home ! Guard’s Regimental Aid Post to the | Casualty Clearing Station.