Please come to the Ambulance & Rescue Service’s open day, Join us for a day of displays and family fun – Saturday 25th June, 11.00 am until 5.00pm.

Inshore rescue boat, road traffic incident & cliff rescue demos

Flying Christine III & road ambulance displays

Bouncy castle, pedal go-karts,face painting & colouring

Try on a chemical suit & free blood pressure checks

GU10 performing

Thursday the 2nd June 2011 is the 75th Anniversary date of the commencement of The St John Ambulance & Rescue Service. On this day 75 years ago the Service went out at 5pm that evening and transported its first patient!

As part of The St John Ambulance & Rescue Service's 75th Anniversary celebrations BBC Radio Guernsey will be broadcasting their 'Breakfast Show' live from Ambulance and Rescue Headquarters between 7 and 9 on the morning of Thursday 2nd June 2011.

BBC Radio Guernsey's Jim Cathcart will host the 'Breakfast Show' and will be interviewing staff, including Mr Jon Beausire the Chief Ambulance Officer, about their roles within the organisation and the different aspects of Ambulance and Rescue work.

Also on the 2nd June 2011 at 2pm the Dean of Guernsey will be presiding over a Service involving the 'laying up' of The St John Ambulance & Rescue Service old Standard and the 'dedication' of the new Standard at St Stephen's Church.

As part of our 75th Anniversary celebrations, a new badge has been developed for the Service. The final version of the badge has been produced by a local graphic designer but it is based on ideas submitted by staff, with a mandate that it must represent:

Over the coming weeks, signwriting, uniforms, stationery and other items will be updated with the new badge, which for the remainder of 2011 will be depicted with the 75th Anniversary halo.

The Service's third Annual Awards Evening was held last week at the Peninsula Hotel.

Following the opening address by the Chief Ambulance Officer, the first half of the evening was devoted to the presentation of qualifications gained by staff and volunteers during the previous year. These included the First Person on Scene qualification, gained by employees, Ambulance Reserve volunteers and Herm Island's First Aiders. Also presented were Inshore Rescue Boat crew qualifications, Advanced Life Support Provider qualifications to three Paramedics, and the Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector to the Service's full-time Paramedic Tutor.

Before the interval, a special Award was made. Eight year Luke Ferbrache was presented with the Chief Ambulance Officer's Bravery Award for alerting the neighbours when his Grandmother was taken ill. Her condition could have easily been confused for simply falling asleep but Luke recognised the danger and quickly and calmly got help. Emergency Medical Technician Tim Hitchin, one of the ambulance crew who attended to Luke's Grandmother, presented him with his Award.

After a short Interval the Guest Speaker, Ms Jo Webber, Director of the Ambulance Service Network, addressed the audience. She noted how innovative the Service was in many areas and how the larger Ambulance Trusts in the UK could learn from us.

The rest of the evening was devoted to the presentation of awards recognising long service and performance. A number of long service awards were presented to staff and also to Nick Bougourd and Perry Fowler in recognition of their services as Voluntary Coxswains on the Marine Ambulance over many years. Several Chief Ambulance Officer's Recognitions of Performance were awarded, including the Award for the most appreciations received during the year – which this year went to Paramedic Steve Torode. The Mick Peters Award for exceptional contribution to Rescue and Special Services was awarded to Station Officer Andy Adam for his work with the Cliff Rescue Team and Hyperbaric Recompression Centre. The evening culminated with the presentation of two Chief Ambulance Officer's Commendations. The first Commendation was awarded to Service Engineer Dave Bichard for his swift actions in preventing further damage to the Marine Ambulance when an electrical malfunction in the Engine Room Fire Suppression System caused a loud bang and billowing black smoke to be seen issuing from the rear of the vessel during routine checks on the mooring last October. The second Commendation was awarded to Paramedic Shelly Rodrigues for her actions in responding together with a colleague on the St Peter Port Lifeboat to a sick crew member on board a fishing vessel 20 miles North West of Guernsey. In adverse sea conditions, Shelly transferred to the fishing vessel, the Angel Emile, and diagnosed a severe anaphylactic reaction. She provided advanced paramedical treatment, including drug therapy, to stabilise the patient and, due to the by now worsening sea conditions, stayed on board the fishing vessel continually monitoring her patient for the two hour voyage back to St Peter Port.

This year the Guernsey Ambulance & Rescue Service is celebrating it's 75th anniversary of serving the community.

Click here for information on the history of the service

Last month, the Chief Ambulance Officer, Deputy Chief Ambulance Officer and HR & Senior Support Manager attended the Offshore Islands Association Meeting held at London Ambulance Headquarters.  The meeting, Chaired by Chief Ambulance Officer Jon Beausire, brings together the Chief Officers and representatives from Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight and Gibraltar to consider developments within the NHS Services which may impact upon the Islands Ambulance Services.  The meetings are also an ideal opportunity to promote high standards of service and care in line with recognised best practice.

Jo Webber, Ambulance Service Network Director, and Richard McKeand, Ambulance Services Emergency Planning Adviser to the Department of Health, also attended.

Two instructors from Invacare, a company which supplies many items of equipment sold and hired by the Centre came to Guernsey to carryout some local training. 

They provided the Centre staff, along with staff from Care Homes and members of the community with essential training to use hoists and slings as well as providing technical instruction.

On Friday 18th March 2011 four employees of the Ambulance & Rescue Service successfully completed the I.H.C.D. Ambulance Aid and Ambulance Driving courses, both are nationally accredited qualifications.

The course was carried out on the island for the first time in the St John Ambulance & Rescue Services 75 year history.

The first four students to undertake the training in Guernsey were Sharon Le Cras, Nick Davison, Dean Robilliard and Nick Peters.

The Marine Ambulance Flying Christine III has been taken to the Isle of Wight to have new engines installed, as the current ones have come to the end of their life.

When she was built in 1994, the life expectancy of the Flying Christine III was expected to be 30 years, with engine replacement taking place at its half life. The marine ambulance is 17 years old and the engines are now in urgent need of replacement.

The cross channel crossing from St Peter Port to Cowes is took approximately 6 hours and was carried out by two of the Service's voluntary Coxswains.

Whilst in the Isle of Wight the vessel will also undergo regular annual maintenance to the superstructure, electronics and hull to minimise the amount of time that she will be out of service.
Contingency arrangements have been made for the RNLI Lifeboat to provide emergency response and with the Brecqhou vessels and Access Challenger also providing non-emergency patient transfers while the Flying Christine III is out of action. Paramedics will travel on these boats taking essential medical equipment with them to treat patients, who are ill or injured, from the surrounding smaller islands or ships at sea.

The Guernsey Ambulance & Rescue Service is celebrating its 75th Anniversay this year, watch this website for news of special events during 2011.

The Chief Ambulance Officer and staff of the Guernsey Ambulance & Rescue Service would like to wish you a happy New Year and thank you for all your support during the past year.

The Chief Ambulance Officer and staff of the Guernsey Ambulance & Rescue Service would like to wish you a Happy Christmas and thank you for your support during the last year.

David Clark has been appointed as Chair of the Ambulance & Rescue Service’s Board of Directors. Mr Clark has served on the Board for the past 4 years and has been Vice Chair since 2009. He took up his new position this month succeeding Jurat Alan Bisson who is remaining on the Board for the present time.

Mr Clark’s experience as the former Treasurer to the States of Guernsey will provide strong leadership as the Ambulance & Rescue Service goes through an intense period of development. He will lead a Board of Directors all of whom give their services in an honorary capacity.

Mr Clark said “the St John Ambulance and Rescue Service is a vitally important and well respected part of our community.  I am immensely proud to be part of the team that can face the challenging times ahead with confidence”

Six members of the Guernsey Ambulance & Rescue Service’s Inshore Rescue Boat team successfully completed an intensive 5 day RNLI ‘D’ Class ILB Crew Course last week.

For the first time, the course was held in Guernsey. Two Instructors, Dave Riley and Diz Carey, from the RNLI Lifeboat College in Poole travelled to the Island to run the course specifically for the Service, utilising our Inshore Rescue Boats and equipment.

A presentation was held on the 3rd November 2010 for Emergency Medical Technician Richard Villalard, who retired from the Service after 23 years. Richard had an exemplary service and was presented with a card and vouchers from the Board of Directors. Richard was also presented with retiring presents from the staff which included a card designed by a former colleague and signed by all staff, a framed photograph of the Marine Ambulance, a clock and barometer and other gifts.

The Guernsey Ambulance & Rescue Service recently brought two Instructors from Plas-y-Brenin, the National Mountain Centre in North Wales, to Guernsey to train members of its Cliff Rescue Team. They spent the first day observing two different teams carrying out simulated rescues and spent the second and third days with the Team Principals debriefing the first day and introducing new ideas and techniques.

Click here to find out more about the Cliff Rescue Team

The Guernsey Ambulance & Rescue Service has trained ten volunteers from Herm Island as Community First Responders. They each completed the IHCD’s First Person on Scene course and have been equipped to deal with life threatening emergencies until the arrival of the Marine Ambulance Flying Christine III with Paramedics on board.

The Chief Ambulance Officer travelled to Herm last week to formally present the First Responders with their certificates of qualification.

The Guernsey Ambulance & Rescue Service was pleased to welcome Paramedic Sciences degree student Louise Jenkins from London Ambulance Service NHS Trust on an elective placement recently. During her placement, Louise observed all aspects of the Service’s operations including taking part in Cliff Rescue training, where she abseiled down the cliffs at the Cow’s Horn.

Hyperbaric Technologist Ian Hubbard visited the island recently to run an intensive two day course in Diving Medicine for members of the Guernsey Ambulance & Rescue Service’s Hyperbaric Recompression Centre.  Ian is a member of QinetiQ’s Hyperbaric Medicine Unit based at St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester.

The main focus for the two days was on the assessment of the symptomatic diver with the emphasis very much on identifying, often subtle, Neurological deficit

Click here to find out more about the Hyperbaric Recompression Chamber

Guernsey Ambulance & Rescue Service are the first UK ambulance service to take delivery of two new front line emergency ambulances from European manufacturer Ambulanz-Mobile of Germany.

These two new vehicles are a direct replacement for the two oldest vehicles in the Ambulance & Rescue fleet which are now 11 years old. A cost saving of around £15000 per vehicle has been made in comparison with the cost of an equivalent UK produced ‘modular’ vehicle.

Chief Ambulance Officer Jon Beausire said, “Guernsey Ambulance & Rescue Service has a history of innovation and ‘firsts’ among ambulance services. With these new front line emergency ambulances, designed and built specifically for both our and our patients needs, we are continuing that trend and ensuring that we continue to provide the people of Guernsey with the best possible emergency treatment and care.”

Click here to read the full article

The Ambulance & Rescue Service is reminding the Guernsey public that the Ambulance Subscription Scheme is open all year round allowing new subscribers to join at any time.

The scheme gives islanders the opportunity to support the Service, and in return offers them protection against any charges they may incur for ambulance treatment and patient transfers, during a 12 month period.

Payment is made by posting or delivering a completed application form with the appropriate remittance to the Ambulance Service. Application forms are available at the Ambulance Service Headquarters in the Rohais, at Surgeries, Chemists, some retail outlets and can also be downloaded from this website. Existing subscribers are sent a reminder for renewal a month before the expiry date and payment can be made by Direct Debit, Credit or Debit Card, Cash or Cheque.

Jon Beausire the Chief Ambulance Officer said that the intention was to give as many people as possible the opportunity to take out a subscription to avoid the charges for ambulance treatment. He reminded the public that injuries or illnesses can occur at any time and subscribers will not have the worry of ambulance bills to add to any other concerns.

Those who do not join the scheme are charged for the response of an ambulance, medical treatment and where necessary, transfer to hospital.

The Guernsey Ambulance & Rescue Service is a ‘user pays’ organisation generating funds through the Subscription Scheme as well as charging for ambulance services and hiring or selling medical equipment through their Healthcare Equipment Centre. Additional funding is provided in the form of a grant from the States of Guernsey and from public donations. The ambulance service is a charitable company; all funds go back into the provision of community services, to purchase equipment, train personnel and keep ambulances on the road.

The Guernsey Ambulance & Rescue Service has requested planning permission to carry out some external alterations to the front of the headquarters building. The plans are part of the improvements to the property to allow safer access for the dispatch of emergency vehicle and other users.

The Service was present at the annual Guernsey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Open Day during July. This was the 3rd year the Service had been invited to the open day to promote the involvement of its cliff rescue and inshore rescue teams with animal rescues.