There's something about small (and to be honest big) boys that makes them magnetically attracted to modes of transport. Most guys I know have a list of 10 cars they would buy if they won the lottery. Most girls I know don't - some do but they are very much in the minority. It's no great coincidence that Top Gear is presented by three blokes who (apart from questionable taste in shirts) are about as normal as you get.
It doesn't just extend to cars though; motorbikes, planes, trains and boats all have their following of beardy anorak types. Details will be discussed by like minded chaps across the land.
What brought this observation to mind was an incident at work the other day. At work there is a helipad. As I was walking into the building a couple of days back, a helicopter decided to land; much to the delight of the small boy who was heading in the opposite direction (with his parents I should add) who stood, rooted to the spot watching events unfold. I know this because I was doing something similar! It's pretty cool to have a helicopter land less than 100ft away. What made his day (and got 'Awwwww' points even from an old cynic like me) was when the crew of the helicopter beckoned him over to have a look round the aircraft. Naturally his eyes were out on stalks; he looked like all his Christmases had come at once.
I noticed this phenomenon a couple of years ago too when, as a volunteer with St. John Ambulance, I used to show kids round our vehicles during quiet times. I thought it was decent PR, would give the parents a bit of a break and maybe bag me some cute points with any passing girls. To a child the way the reacted to the vehicles could be predicted by the gender. The girls would be in the back looking at all the equipment and asking what the variously shaped and coloured bits of kit did. The boys; well they were straight into the driver's seat turning the wheel and asking if they could turn the blue lights on!
I can't claim to be too dissimilar. I joined St. John partly to keep my first aid knowledge up to date, partly to actually get to treat people, partly to increase my clinical skills and techniques and also because I knew they had a fleet of blue light ambulances and I rather fancied driving on lights and sirens. Before you go stamping me with a 'boy racer' label I should say that I'm naturally a fairly cautious driver. I even failed a test for being too cautious. Still driving well and driving quickly appeals (without being reckless of course). When pushed I'm willing to bet that most emergency drivers will - in a quiet moment - admit they like driving fast.
It doesn't just end there though. Such is my desire to know how to operate moving vehicles that I secretly quite fancy getting my motorbike and my HGV licence just because then I could say I could drive bikes on trucks. This is despite the fact that I am too scared to get a motorbike and I have no intention of ever becoming a trucker. And I'm not alone. For further evidence look no further than Rowan Atkinson, who even incorporated his truck licence into a Not the Nine O'Clock News sketch. Another example would be a friend of my dad's who is a media consultant by day but also retains his bus licence and does tours of the Highlands just because he loves driving buses.
Anyway, that's my observation for today. It is all completely anecdotal of course but I think it's vaguely true.
JR
Showing posts with label St. John Ambulance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label St. John Ambulance. Show all posts
Monday, 19 November 2012
Tuesday, 16 October 2012
The Crystal Girls
You come across some strange videos on youtube don't you? I mean who thinks of filming half of it? But amongst the weird stuff are some complete gems. This is one. Have a look, go on.
For those of you that don't know, Crystal Palace football club have a team of cheerleaders to entertain fans, players and first aiders before the match and at half time. For sport relief this year a group of Palace fans have joined in the routine, in the centre circle, at half time, during an actual game. Go them.
I have spent more time than I would really care to think about getting slowly hypothermic at Crystal Palace games when providing first aid cover. Despite the fact that I am most emphatically not into football, they have always been quite fun. Possibly because the football is a bit of a sideshow. First off they have a selection of cheesy playlists to play before the match, a club song which always creates a tidal wave of cheering when it's played, mascots who dance and wind up the crowd, real eagles (the club's mascot) to fly over the pitch and a generally good atmosphere. Oh and did I mention the squad of beautiful bronzed young women cavorting about at ever opportunity?
On the rare occasions we have had to treat people, the fans have always been a good laugh and willing to help out where possible which is always a big plus. Treating (and I imagine being treated) in a crowd is neither fun nor easy but it's so much harder if you constantly have to watch your back and keep an escape route in mind. Never an issue with Palace. What made me really respect and admire them was a couple of years ago, when the club was on the verge of going bankrupt, they had a whip-round on a massive scale to raise the money owed to St. John Ambulance for our services (an amount that ran into several tens of thousands of pounds. And before anyone says anything, yes we are a charity but because of the scale of what we do and the fact that we have lots of specialist equipment and vehicles to maintain as well as ongoing member training we charge a fee for coming out on duty. This fee represents cost price and not profit). The fans really didn't have to do this. They paid their ticket fees, it's not therefore unreasonable for them to expect all this to be taken care of. What made the gesture even more touching is the fact that Crystal Palace and the surrounding area is not a well off one, it's not the most poverty stricken by far but it's still far from rolling in it. The fans mostly come from here so the fact that they were willing to put their hands in their pockets means a lot.
So back to the video. Apparently the fans/victims had a couple of training sessions with the Crystal Girls (spending time with lovely girls in lycra... Ok it's sounding less bad) before their debut (and I suspect only) performance. They carried it off with quite some aplomb. Not only did they get up and get out there - in the same figure hugging outfits - but they managed to bust some serious moves too. Go them.
I have to say, I don't get embarrassed easily. I will do many things for money and if it's to raise money for charity then there is almost no limit to the humiliation which I will endure. Almost! Despite the offer of lycra clad ladies and raising funds for good causes I think I might draw the line there. I don't have a problem with getting up in drag. I do have serious issues with my ability to dance. The fact that these guys did it, allowed evidence of such activity to be recorded and did it in front of their mates earns them a lot of respect in my book.
Go on, if you haven't had a look already then click the link. Watch a couple of their other videos too... although maybe not if you're in the office.
JR
Sunday, 16 September 2012
Hillsborough
Hillsborough was not a subject I really intended to write about; mainly because it was something I haven't really formed an opinion on it. When it happened, I was barely able to walk so it didn't register much on my consciousness. Since then I have become aware of it from my legal studies - it is the source of a lot of case law which may now need to be re-thought - but again, I didn't think about the event itself too much.
However my mind changed this morning when I heard an interview with Tony Edwards. Mr Edwards was part of the ambulance crew that drove on to the pitch. It was one of the most moving pieces of radio I have heard in a long time and has made me think quite a lot.
Before I go any further, let me make it clear I haven't read any of the reports published on the events that occurred that day nor have I read the newspaper reports in any great detail. My sole knowledge comes from what I have hear/seen in news bulletins.
My first thoughts go out to Mr Edwards who has been badly traumatised by the events of that day. It's not something that has occurred much in the news coverage but it must have been dreadful for those involved professionally. We assume that emergency service personnel will cope with whatever is thrown at them. That their uniform provides some sort of armour against the terrible things that they see however this is simply not true. In this instance, it has cost someone that was passionate and proud to be a paramedic their job and more than that their vocation.
I have some very modest experience of providing pre-hospital care through St. John Ambulance and I can say with some confidence that most people, when they put on the uniform, put on a bit of a mentality. A carapace to make the role easier. In our case, hopefully the worst we will see is blood and other body fluids but it is a similar mentality. However the interview has also reminded me of a few incidents that have left me a bit shaken. There have been a couple of times I have been left shaking after treating someone. During the treatment, the training kicked in and I dealt with the situation. It was the reflection afterwards that I got scared. I was lucky, a cup of tea and chat with colleagues was all it took to evaluate the events, decide that I acted appropriately and be reassured by others that they would have done the same. That reassurance was hugely valuable. For smaller duties and for volunteers who offer assistance off duty, St. John have an on call duty officer who can be called upon at any time to offer a debriefing on events and, if necessary, organise further support. Again a valuable system.
My father wasn't quite as lucky. He came out on duty with my unit at a large London event. It was hugely busy and he ended up in the major injury section of the mobile treatment centre dealing with some very poorly people. He came down reasonably fresh out of basic training from St. Andrews First Aid (the Scottish equivalent) and was expecting to do no more than watch all of us in action. I think he also was under the impression that the most we would be doing was doling out plasters and ice packs. To keep a short story short, he did have quite a tough time afterwards. Despite having a debriefing from me and my commanding officer, he spent quite a lot of time analysing what he did and questioning if he couldn't have done more (his treatment was textbook but it's not always easy to see that from the inside). He also had a couple of flashbacks and bad dreams about the events. Now neither my father and I are uncommonly sensitive. In fact, I would say that we are both fairly resilient but these events affected us.
Therefore it comes as no surprise that Mr Edwards and no doubt a fair few of his colleagues have suffered long lasting effects of that day. He alluded to frustration and guilt about being prevented from getting properly stuck in and about the horror of people literally piling bodies on to his vehicle. He described having to live with the certain knowledge that, if things had been done differently, more people would have survived.
In the interview Mr Edwards talked candidly about mismanagement of the whole process by senior officers at the scene. On the one hand this is shocking and appalling. If people are appointed to strategic roles then they should have received appropriate training for the job and be able to cope with what it throws at them. That's well and good but how exactly does one train for something like this? Simulations are good but, in the back of one's mind, there is always the knowledge that it's a simulation so the adrenaline doesn't start pumping quite as much. Beyond that, they are expensive and complicated to organise so any one officer will have limited exposure to them. I suspect that most training will be done on paper in a classroom. Although this is valuable in giving individuals the opportunity to think through events and come to logical conclusions, the fact that it doesn't mirror the fear and the adrenaline of real life means that there's no guarantee the same thought process will be applied in action. It also raises the question of how senior officers are selected for promotion. I will refrain from saying any more because anything I do say will be nothing more than speculation and I don't particularly want to add to the conspiracy theories floating about on the net.
It has made me wonder how I would have reacted in similar circumstances. On duty, I have spent more hours than I would really care to count both at football matches and at large-scale public events. Some of this time has been spent not just as a first aider but as various levels of duty officer. Therefore there have been times that, if it all went wrong, it would have been up to me to run things until further help arrived. Although this help would never have been far away (both senior St. John and London Ambulance officers) there would have still been a short period where my choices could have had a potentially huge impact. I have never really thought about it in these terms before. I have always been buffered by the thought that back up would be on the scene quickly and that, in the mean time, I would be surrounded by an excellent team who not only had good ability as first aiders but also a lot of operational experience they could share with me if needed. More to the point I, as well as many others undoubtedly, was aware how vanishing small the possibilities of the worst case scenario actually happening were. No doubt that's what those of the scene of Hillsborough also thought. It certainly isn't an excuse for poor conduct at the scene, nor any subsequent cover-ups but it certainly offers a measure of explanation.
Before I sound like an apologist for bad management let me clarify; I am certainly not. Those that were at the scene should have been capable of managing it or at least of taking the advice of others. Even if they haven't had experience of events such as this (and let's hope they don't for obvious reasons) then they should at least be able to keep a level head and make rational choices.
Hopefully the recent revelations about Hillsborough will provide a degree of closure and comfort for the victims, the families of the victims and those that attended the scene and have suffered as a result. Now one of the most important things we can do is look at what happened and learn from it. Use the experience to develop better systems for dealing with events like this and for training those that will have to manage them on the ground. If we do this then hopefully, if the worst should happen again, the human tragedy can be significantly reduced.
JR
However my mind changed this morning when I heard an interview with Tony Edwards. Mr Edwards was part of the ambulance crew that drove on to the pitch. It was one of the most moving pieces of radio I have heard in a long time and has made me think quite a lot.
Before I go any further, let me make it clear I haven't read any of the reports published on the events that occurred that day nor have I read the newspaper reports in any great detail. My sole knowledge comes from what I have hear/seen in news bulletins.
My first thoughts go out to Mr Edwards who has been badly traumatised by the events of that day. It's not something that has occurred much in the news coverage but it must have been dreadful for those involved professionally. We assume that emergency service personnel will cope with whatever is thrown at them. That their uniform provides some sort of armour against the terrible things that they see however this is simply not true. In this instance, it has cost someone that was passionate and proud to be a paramedic their job and more than that their vocation.
I have some very modest experience of providing pre-hospital care through St. John Ambulance and I can say with some confidence that most people, when they put on the uniform, put on a bit of a mentality. A carapace to make the role easier. In our case, hopefully the worst we will see is blood and other body fluids but it is a similar mentality. However the interview has also reminded me of a few incidents that have left me a bit shaken. There have been a couple of times I have been left shaking after treating someone. During the treatment, the training kicked in and I dealt with the situation. It was the reflection afterwards that I got scared. I was lucky, a cup of tea and chat with colleagues was all it took to evaluate the events, decide that I acted appropriately and be reassured by others that they would have done the same. That reassurance was hugely valuable. For smaller duties and for volunteers who offer assistance off duty, St. John have an on call duty officer who can be called upon at any time to offer a debriefing on events and, if necessary, organise further support. Again a valuable system.
My father wasn't quite as lucky. He came out on duty with my unit at a large London event. It was hugely busy and he ended up in the major injury section of the mobile treatment centre dealing with some very poorly people. He came down reasonably fresh out of basic training from St. Andrews First Aid (the Scottish equivalent) and was expecting to do no more than watch all of us in action. I think he also was under the impression that the most we would be doing was doling out plasters and ice packs. To keep a short story short, he did have quite a tough time afterwards. Despite having a debriefing from me and my commanding officer, he spent quite a lot of time analysing what he did and questioning if he couldn't have done more (his treatment was textbook but it's not always easy to see that from the inside). He also had a couple of flashbacks and bad dreams about the events. Now neither my father and I are uncommonly sensitive. In fact, I would say that we are both fairly resilient but these events affected us.
Therefore it comes as no surprise that Mr Edwards and no doubt a fair few of his colleagues have suffered long lasting effects of that day. He alluded to frustration and guilt about being prevented from getting properly stuck in and about the horror of people literally piling bodies on to his vehicle. He described having to live with the certain knowledge that, if things had been done differently, more people would have survived.
In the interview Mr Edwards talked candidly about mismanagement of the whole process by senior officers at the scene. On the one hand this is shocking and appalling. If people are appointed to strategic roles then they should have received appropriate training for the job and be able to cope with what it throws at them. That's well and good but how exactly does one train for something like this? Simulations are good but, in the back of one's mind, there is always the knowledge that it's a simulation so the adrenaline doesn't start pumping quite as much. Beyond that, they are expensive and complicated to organise so any one officer will have limited exposure to them. I suspect that most training will be done on paper in a classroom. Although this is valuable in giving individuals the opportunity to think through events and come to logical conclusions, the fact that it doesn't mirror the fear and the adrenaline of real life means that there's no guarantee the same thought process will be applied in action. It also raises the question of how senior officers are selected for promotion. I will refrain from saying any more because anything I do say will be nothing more than speculation and I don't particularly want to add to the conspiracy theories floating about on the net.
It has made me wonder how I would have reacted in similar circumstances. On duty, I have spent more hours than I would really care to count both at football matches and at large-scale public events. Some of this time has been spent not just as a first aider but as various levels of duty officer. Therefore there have been times that, if it all went wrong, it would have been up to me to run things until further help arrived. Although this help would never have been far away (both senior St. John and London Ambulance officers) there would have still been a short period where my choices could have had a potentially huge impact. I have never really thought about it in these terms before. I have always been buffered by the thought that back up would be on the scene quickly and that, in the mean time, I would be surrounded by an excellent team who not only had good ability as first aiders but also a lot of operational experience they could share with me if needed. More to the point I, as well as many others undoubtedly, was aware how vanishing small the possibilities of the worst case scenario actually happening were. No doubt that's what those of the scene of Hillsborough also thought. It certainly isn't an excuse for poor conduct at the scene, nor any subsequent cover-ups but it certainly offers a measure of explanation.
Before I sound like an apologist for bad management let me clarify; I am certainly not. Those that were at the scene should have been capable of managing it or at least of taking the advice of others. Even if they haven't had experience of events such as this (and let's hope they don't for obvious reasons) then they should at least be able to keep a level head and make rational choices.
Hopefully the recent revelations about Hillsborough will provide a degree of closure and comfort for the victims, the families of the victims and those that attended the scene and have suffered as a result. Now one of the most important things we can do is look at what happened and learn from it. Use the experience to develop better systems for dealing with events like this and for training those that will have to manage them on the ground. If we do this then hopefully, if the worst should happen again, the human tragedy can be significantly reduced.
JR
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
St. John Ambulance
My last posts have been variations on a theme. To prove I am capable of more than rambling rants I thought now would be a good time to write something positive. Hence I am going to write about something which gives me great pleasure and I am genuinely proud to be a part of; St. John Ambulance.
I joined SJA a couple of years ago when I moved down to London. This was done for a variety of reasons; firstly, I have been first aid qualified since I was around 14. Initially it was the boy scout badge followed by a programme at school. At University I joined the lifesaving club which combined first aid with water rescue. It seemed an ideal way to combine my enjoyment of swimming with my love of doing something a bit different (yes Baywatch did play a part as the fact that a girl I fancied was joining). I spent five amazing years in the club and got the opportunity to participate in loads of things I never thought I would do from going at full speed in a power boat in Bournemouth to training in the North Sea... in September!
When I moved down to London I did look around for other clubs to join but a large part of me knew my time with lifesaving was at an end. I didn't want to run the risk of constantly comparing whichever club I joined to Uni and after years of doing it, pool swimming was becoming boring. By this time my pool lifeguard qualification was coming to an end. I knew from experience that the water rescue side of lifesaving would be very unlikely to change (whereas the first aid side got updated regularly) and water confidence combined with common sense are the most important factors when conducting a rescue. Therefore I decided to join an organisation solely focused on first aid (a qualification I wanted to maintain if nothing else, to ensure I would be covered by the insurance of my training organisation should I ever be required to deliver treatment). I passionately believe everyone should have at least a basic grasp of first aid since the skills are not hard to learn and ultimately a small intervention can save someone's life. It seems stupid for people not to learn this when they can make such a difference.
I settled on St. John for several reasons. Firstly, I liked the fact that defibrillator training came as standard rather than the exception. Having delivered seminars on treatment of cardiac arrest as part of my degree, I knew what a difference this bit of equipment made. I also liked the fact that it was possible to reach a higher level of skill than I had previously attained. Currently I have done my advanced first aid with supplemental gas therapy. I also liked the fact that they have a fleet of vehicles which are constantly in use. Although I have yet to attain my ambulance qualification, it remains an ambition and when I do, I think it would be extremely satisfying to provide backup to the London Ambulance Service both routinely and in exceptional circumstances. Finally, I wanted the opportunity to use my first aid skills. Up until that point the majority of stuff I had done was give out plasters and ice packs. While I in no way wish suffering, pain and life threatening illnesses on people, I realise that it will inevitably happen and should it do so, I can offer extremely competent intervention that will increase the chances of a positive outcome. Since joining I have had the opportunity to do this. I can still count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I have had to call on my more advanced skills but the fact remains that I have had to do it and risen to the challenge when needed. Most of the time however, I spend the majority of time on duty directing people to the loo/tube (I'm wearing a high-visibility jacket... of course I know!) Ultimately my membership is fuelled by a desire to have the knowledge and training to help those around me in need.
Now that I'm in, I can honestly say that I love it. I have been very lucky with the division I have joined. The demographic in there is as varied as you care to imagine; from pensioners to teenagers and everyone in between. It is headed up by a brilliant woman who made it perfectly clear when I first phoned her that, in her view, the division was there to support members and not the other way round. She does a wonderful job of making stuff happen. Upon joining I was immediately made to feel at home. There was never any hint of being the "new boy", I was just part of the team. This attitude has continued on duty and means that within a fairly short space of time I have progressed from an exclusively treatment role to a more strategic role on larger duties. Although I like interacting with people and delivering treatment (that's why I joined after all), doing this presents a host of new challenges and has been extremely rewarding. In addition to this, the list of cool events I get to go to (for free) is extensive. They range from Notting Hill Carnival to Proms in the Park via the Royal Opera House and London Marathon.
Admittedly it's not all high-profile stuff. I spend more than my fair share of time standing at the corners of football pitches getting cold (and to add insult to injury, I don't even like football). Lots of the duties also involve obscenely early mornings or extremely late nights. Sometimes both. I wont pretend that this aspect is always great fun but this is where the other members come in. Shared adversity creates a bond, whether it is with people one has just met all converging on a treatment centre or established members of one's own division. The time can be used to get to know new people or relive past mishaps and silliness with old friends. Afterwards we can then look back from the warmth of the pub and have a bit of a laugh about it.
People who are not members have asked me if I mind giving up my free time to do this. As a girl in my division said, it's not a huge deal because it's spending time with your mates as well. I couldn't agree more. I count several people in the division as among my closest friends. One of them has gone from being a complete stranger when I joined to my flatmate and one of my best mates. I can't think of anyone in division who I wouldn't happily go for a beer with. Friends have been made outside division as well. They are people I would not normally have met but I am extremely glad I have. I jokingly say that St. John saves me a fortune since going on duty means I spend time with friends without defaulting to the pub/cafe/cinema.
Friendships aside, being out on duty has afforded me to see a lot of things that, in my normal life, I wouldn't get anywhere close to. Some have been sad, some have been funny, some have been scary and some have been heart warming. Tales of these are for another post. I have also had the opportunity to meet some wonderful people; not just other members but patients, their families, members of the professional emergency services and random members of the public.
Taking the rose-tinted glasses off for a moment the organisation is not perfect. Fundamentally it is a volunteering organisation and as such is run largely by volunteers. This combined with it's size means that things can happen infuriatingly slowly. Most of the time this is largely administrative so does not affect our operational ability but it's frustrating none the less. There is also the prevailing attitude in training that because people are prepared to give up their time, they should automatically be allowed to. As a result I have seen one or two people pass assessments where they probably shouldn't. THESE CASES ARE EXTREMELY RARE. The beauty of first aid is that, unless one does something manifestly stupid, it's very hard to make a situation worse. That said, I think the organisation needs to tighten up it's assessments to ensure the highest level of skill in all it's members. If that means extra training for some then so be it. Similarly, others that persistently are unable to achieve the required level of skill should be encouraged into other roles within the organisation. These roles do not prevent being operationally active on duty, they just don't require first aid to be able to do them.
Another problem the organisation has is one of perception both amongst the public and other services. This largely is a result of people being unsure about our precise role and skill level. To clear this up let me give you a rough guide. Most first aiders will spend most of their time giving out plasters. Like it or not, that's the bulk of our work. For serious injuries, we can minimise discomfort. We are trained to stabilise and splint broken limbs but rarely do so as these will usually require hospital treatment (and hence usually ambulance transport). Therefore ambulance crews in attendance will rightly remove our splints and dressings to assess the injury themselves. Most of the duties we do are in urban areas so sod's law dictates that the ambulance will rock up just as we have finished splinting. It's heartbreaking to see one's intricate handiwork fall victim to a pair of tuffcuts so unless we know an ambulance is going to be quite some time, we usually confine ourselves to reassuring the patient, minimizing pain and spontaneous movement and getting a decent history. In emergency situations where life is at threat we are trained to make sure the person doesn't die while more advanced help makes it's way to us.We are not mobile GPs (so if something has been bothering you for the last week, chances are it won't kill you in the taxi to A&E/on your way to your local surgery) and we are not Boots (sorry but despite the fact we look sexy in our clumpy boots and yellow jackets we don't keep condoms on station).
More confusion arises with our ambulance crews. They are trained to a higher level than first aiders in the organisation. The best way to describe it is that they are roughly of the same skill level as London Ambulance Service technicians. This difference is of little consequence to the people we treat but heightened awareness would be useful amongst professional ambulance services not least because, in London at least, we routinely back up the London Ambulance Service. Most Friday and Saturday nights will see St. John vehicles deployed alongside LAS. Our involvement is therefore not limited to providing ambulance cover for our own events and major incidents/national emergencies. While deployed like this, our vehicles and crews are under direct LAS control. However, it seems there can be confusion with the people on the front line. I have read in paramedic blogs that I follow of solo responders requesting an ambulance and being confused when a SJA vehicle turns up. Rightly, they are wary of transferring their patient at this point since they bare sole responsibility for the patient's welfare until they reach hospital. However, hopefully they would be less so if they were more fully aware of what we can offer (including a lift back to your car if your advanced skills are required) and as a result, pressure on LAS would be relieved slightly. (Let's leave aside the political aspect of using volunteers and charity resources to provide backup to a service which should be wholly government funded.)
That said, I have nothing but praise for the LAS personnel I have encountered on duty. They have been uniformly polite, professional and courteous towards us, taking time to listen to our handover while they assess the patient. At times our involvement has ended there however it is not unusual for whoever is attending to allow us to continue to observe while they are assessing and treating all the while explaining what they are doing. Some will even suggest we stay "hands on" delegating parts of the treatment that fall within our skill level. All this is greatly appreciated. Part of our training is knowing our own limits however most members are curious what happens next. In addition, understanding of a subject aids memory so we appreciate you explaining what you're doing. Even if our involvement with the patient ends with the handover we appreciate you treating us with respect and courtesy. Given the nature of volunteering, individual volunteers won't treat all that many patients over the course of any given time period and even fewer serious ones. Therefore when we do encounter something serious we are (understandably) more than a little apprehensive. The professionals taking us seriously and thanking us for our efforts is a welcome confidence boost. That said, if I'm doing CPR, get the bloody ALS kit 'coz my arms are getting tired!
In conclusion; if you are thinking about volunteering I would urge you to consider SJA. If you are considering SJA, I would urge you to join. The opportunities available to you on joining are amazing, not just to do fun things but also to make a difference to people (and I genuinely believe we do even if it is just in the form of reassurance). It doesn't require much of your free time and as I've said, it really won't seem like you are giving anything up at all.
JR
I joined SJA a couple of years ago when I moved down to London. This was done for a variety of reasons; firstly, I have been first aid qualified since I was around 14. Initially it was the boy scout badge followed by a programme at school. At University I joined the lifesaving club which combined first aid with water rescue. It seemed an ideal way to combine my enjoyment of swimming with my love of doing something a bit different (yes Baywatch did play a part as the fact that a girl I fancied was joining). I spent five amazing years in the club and got the opportunity to participate in loads of things I never thought I would do from going at full speed in a power boat in Bournemouth to training in the North Sea... in September!
When I moved down to London I did look around for other clubs to join but a large part of me knew my time with lifesaving was at an end. I didn't want to run the risk of constantly comparing whichever club I joined to Uni and after years of doing it, pool swimming was becoming boring. By this time my pool lifeguard qualification was coming to an end. I knew from experience that the water rescue side of lifesaving would be very unlikely to change (whereas the first aid side got updated regularly) and water confidence combined with common sense are the most important factors when conducting a rescue. Therefore I decided to join an organisation solely focused on first aid (a qualification I wanted to maintain if nothing else, to ensure I would be covered by the insurance of my training organisation should I ever be required to deliver treatment). I passionately believe everyone should have at least a basic grasp of first aid since the skills are not hard to learn and ultimately a small intervention can save someone's life. It seems stupid for people not to learn this when they can make such a difference.
I settled on St. John for several reasons. Firstly, I liked the fact that defibrillator training came as standard rather than the exception. Having delivered seminars on treatment of cardiac arrest as part of my degree, I knew what a difference this bit of equipment made. I also liked the fact that it was possible to reach a higher level of skill than I had previously attained. Currently I have done my advanced first aid with supplemental gas therapy. I also liked the fact that they have a fleet of vehicles which are constantly in use. Although I have yet to attain my ambulance qualification, it remains an ambition and when I do, I think it would be extremely satisfying to provide backup to the London Ambulance Service both routinely and in exceptional circumstances. Finally, I wanted the opportunity to use my first aid skills. Up until that point the majority of stuff I had done was give out plasters and ice packs. While I in no way wish suffering, pain and life threatening illnesses on people, I realise that it will inevitably happen and should it do so, I can offer extremely competent intervention that will increase the chances of a positive outcome. Since joining I have had the opportunity to do this. I can still count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I have had to call on my more advanced skills but the fact remains that I have had to do it and risen to the challenge when needed. Most of the time however, I spend the majority of time on duty directing people to the loo/tube (I'm wearing a high-visibility jacket... of course I know!) Ultimately my membership is fuelled by a desire to have the knowledge and training to help those around me in need.
Now that I'm in, I can honestly say that I love it. I have been very lucky with the division I have joined. The demographic in there is as varied as you care to imagine; from pensioners to teenagers and everyone in between. It is headed up by a brilliant woman who made it perfectly clear when I first phoned her that, in her view, the division was there to support members and not the other way round. She does a wonderful job of making stuff happen. Upon joining I was immediately made to feel at home. There was never any hint of being the "new boy", I was just part of the team. This attitude has continued on duty and means that within a fairly short space of time I have progressed from an exclusively treatment role to a more strategic role on larger duties. Although I like interacting with people and delivering treatment (that's why I joined after all), doing this presents a host of new challenges and has been extremely rewarding. In addition to this, the list of cool events I get to go to (for free) is extensive. They range from Notting Hill Carnival to Proms in the Park via the Royal Opera House and London Marathon.
Admittedly it's not all high-profile stuff. I spend more than my fair share of time standing at the corners of football pitches getting cold (and to add insult to injury, I don't even like football). Lots of the duties also involve obscenely early mornings or extremely late nights. Sometimes both. I wont pretend that this aspect is always great fun but this is where the other members come in. Shared adversity creates a bond, whether it is with people one has just met all converging on a treatment centre or established members of one's own division. The time can be used to get to know new people or relive past mishaps and silliness with old friends. Afterwards we can then look back from the warmth of the pub and have a bit of a laugh about it.
People who are not members have asked me if I mind giving up my free time to do this. As a girl in my division said, it's not a huge deal because it's spending time with your mates as well. I couldn't agree more. I count several people in the division as among my closest friends. One of them has gone from being a complete stranger when I joined to my flatmate and one of my best mates. I can't think of anyone in division who I wouldn't happily go for a beer with. Friends have been made outside division as well. They are people I would not normally have met but I am extremely glad I have. I jokingly say that St. John saves me a fortune since going on duty means I spend time with friends without defaulting to the pub/cafe/cinema.
Friendships aside, being out on duty has afforded me to see a lot of things that, in my normal life, I wouldn't get anywhere close to. Some have been sad, some have been funny, some have been scary and some have been heart warming. Tales of these are for another post. I have also had the opportunity to meet some wonderful people; not just other members but patients, their families, members of the professional emergency services and random members of the public.
Taking the rose-tinted glasses off for a moment the organisation is not perfect. Fundamentally it is a volunteering organisation and as such is run largely by volunteers. This combined with it's size means that things can happen infuriatingly slowly. Most of the time this is largely administrative so does not affect our operational ability but it's frustrating none the less. There is also the prevailing attitude in training that because people are prepared to give up their time, they should automatically be allowed to. As a result I have seen one or two people pass assessments where they probably shouldn't. THESE CASES ARE EXTREMELY RARE. The beauty of first aid is that, unless one does something manifestly stupid, it's very hard to make a situation worse. That said, I think the organisation needs to tighten up it's assessments to ensure the highest level of skill in all it's members. If that means extra training for some then so be it. Similarly, others that persistently are unable to achieve the required level of skill should be encouraged into other roles within the organisation. These roles do not prevent being operationally active on duty, they just don't require first aid to be able to do them.
Another problem the organisation has is one of perception both amongst the public and other services. This largely is a result of people being unsure about our precise role and skill level. To clear this up let me give you a rough guide. Most first aiders will spend most of their time giving out plasters. Like it or not, that's the bulk of our work. For serious injuries, we can minimise discomfort. We are trained to stabilise and splint broken limbs but rarely do so as these will usually require hospital treatment (and hence usually ambulance transport). Therefore ambulance crews in attendance will rightly remove our splints and dressings to assess the injury themselves. Most of the duties we do are in urban areas so sod's law dictates that the ambulance will rock up just as we have finished splinting. It's heartbreaking to see one's intricate handiwork fall victim to a pair of tuffcuts so unless we know an ambulance is going to be quite some time, we usually confine ourselves to reassuring the patient, minimizing pain and spontaneous movement and getting a decent history. In emergency situations where life is at threat we are trained to make sure the person doesn't die while more advanced help makes it's way to us.We are not mobile GPs (so if something has been bothering you for the last week, chances are it won't kill you in the taxi to A&E/on your way to your local surgery) and we are not Boots (sorry but despite the fact we look sexy in our clumpy boots and yellow jackets we don't keep condoms on station).
More confusion arises with our ambulance crews. They are trained to a higher level than first aiders in the organisation. The best way to describe it is that they are roughly of the same skill level as London Ambulance Service technicians. This difference is of little consequence to the people we treat but heightened awareness would be useful amongst professional ambulance services not least because, in London at least, we routinely back up the London Ambulance Service. Most Friday and Saturday nights will see St. John vehicles deployed alongside LAS. Our involvement is therefore not limited to providing ambulance cover for our own events and major incidents/national emergencies. While deployed like this, our vehicles and crews are under direct LAS control. However, it seems there can be confusion with the people on the front line. I have read in paramedic blogs that I follow of solo responders requesting an ambulance and being confused when a SJA vehicle turns up. Rightly, they are wary of transferring their patient at this point since they bare sole responsibility for the patient's welfare until they reach hospital. However, hopefully they would be less so if they were more fully aware of what we can offer (including a lift back to your car if your advanced skills are required) and as a result, pressure on LAS would be relieved slightly. (Let's leave aside the political aspect of using volunteers and charity resources to provide backup to a service which should be wholly government funded.)
That said, I have nothing but praise for the LAS personnel I have encountered on duty. They have been uniformly polite, professional and courteous towards us, taking time to listen to our handover while they assess the patient. At times our involvement has ended there however it is not unusual for whoever is attending to allow us to continue to observe while they are assessing and treating all the while explaining what they are doing. Some will even suggest we stay "hands on" delegating parts of the treatment that fall within our skill level. All this is greatly appreciated. Part of our training is knowing our own limits however most members are curious what happens next. In addition, understanding of a subject aids memory so we appreciate you explaining what you're doing. Even if our involvement with the patient ends with the handover we appreciate you treating us with respect and courtesy. Given the nature of volunteering, individual volunteers won't treat all that many patients over the course of any given time period and even fewer serious ones. Therefore when we do encounter something serious we are (understandably) more than a little apprehensive. The professionals taking us seriously and thanking us for our efforts is a welcome confidence boost. That said, if I'm doing CPR, get the bloody ALS kit 'coz my arms are getting tired!
In conclusion; if you are thinking about volunteering I would urge you to consider SJA. If you are considering SJA, I would urge you to join. The opportunities available to you on joining are amazing, not just to do fun things but also to make a difference to people (and I genuinely believe we do even if it is just in the form of reassurance). It doesn't require much of your free time and as I've said, it really won't seem like you are giving anything up at all.
JR
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