St John Ambuance Visit Team 20

Today Kerry from St John ambulance came to school. Kerry came over to the class and told us a bit about being an ambulance officer. They showed us inside the ambulance, rolled the bed down a ramp and Hamish got put in the stretcher bed.
Kerry showed us all the equipment but Josh was interested in the breathing gear. We all got to walk through the back of the ambulance. Kerry turned on the sirens and they were VERY LOUD! They had lots of lockers to put all their equipment in. The ambulance had an electric step. They had seat belts on the bed and in the truck to keep patients safe. Kerry had most of his gear in a special back pack. Other equipment was in the ambulance cupboards.
Did you know that most ambulance officers don't work for money they work because they like their job and helping others?



Kerry's Answers to Our Questions
St John Ambulance
How did you learn to do your job?
I started in St John when I was 12 years old. We have a special programme that we call Penguins that 6 year olds can learn to do things. We do lots of training and practise.
Has anyone left and changed their job ?
Some people come to us from other jobs and others go to other jobs
Have you ever had to use a helicopter or ambulance as part of your work?
No, I work in the city. We don’t use the helicopter in town. I have picked people from the helicopter at Hagley Park and take the patient to hospital.
Where do you keep all your special things that are needed in your job?
We keep a lot of it in the ambulance. It is a rolling storeroom. Everywhere we go we have everything we need. We do have bags to take inside.
What tools do you use for your job?
Our number one tool is our brain. If you are sick I have to ask you questions to find out what is wrong. We use needles, bandages, our truck.
Why do you do your job? Do you like it?
I get to help people and I get love to help others. I love to my job.
Have you saved anyone before? Have you been there when someone has died?
Yes I have I have been to some emergencies where is we haven’t have helped then they would have died. I have been there when people have died it is a very sad part of our job.
How do you know what to do?
We do lots of learning and we practise to but we pretend and use computer games to help us with our training. Practise, practise, practise.
Is it hard to do your job?
Sometimes it is hard on your brain and your body. Sometimes it is easy too, depends on the patient.
Do you feel like a hero?
No I don’t feel like a hero. I am an average person doing my job

Georgia – Has anyone in the crew been sick?
Yes sometimes they have had to take members of the crew to hospital and sometimes people new to the job faint when they see yucky things.

We are allowed to go 30km faster than the speed limit. Our new truck is called a Fiat Sprinter.

Interesting fact. Most St John workers are volunteers, that means that they don’t get paid.