St John Lifesavers initiative launched in Alderney
AN INITIATIVE in Alderney has been launched to support the island’s ambulance service.
St John Lifesavers is a group of volunteers who will be trained as community first responders, volunteer ambulance reserve and guardians of the island's public access defibrillators.
‘St John Lifesavers is a great opportunity for islanders to make a difference when it really matters,’ said St John Ambulance Rescue Service head of quality and patient safety Aimee Lihou.
‘There is a long tradition of people in Alderney volunteering to support their community in a number of ways, and this scheme will help meet the unique needs of the island and provide additional resilience for the ambulance service.
‘These are unpaid roles, but volunteers will gain valuable life skills and will be giving back to their community. St John will provide training and education, equipment, support and uniforms.
'Although distances are relatively small in Alderney, having a trained volunteer with the right equipment available to give immediate care in the minutes before the ambulance arrives can be the difference between a life lost and a life saved.’
Volunteer ambulance reserves provide extra support and added resilience in major incidents, during times of high demand and in adverse weather conditions. They are trained in how to set up the major incident equipment, assist with transport, logistics and basic first aid.
St John Ambulance and Rescue Service now operates the island's ambulance service on behalf of the island's States.
It is now a satellite station of the Guernsey organisation, operating under the same clinical governance framework, and with ongoing support, leadership and oversight provided by senior staff in Guernsey.
