An exciting addition to community first aid and training services has been welcomed in Mayo this week with St John Ambulance Ireland announcing a new Mayo division commencing activities in April 2016. St John Ambulance is a voluntary first aid and ambulance charity that has been at the forefront of emergency care and training in Ireland for more than 100 years. The organization has a proud history in Ireland, for example during the 1916 Rising more than 600 St John Ambulance volunteers from across Dublin helped to treat the wounded on both sides of the conflict. This contribution was recently recognised with St John Ambulance participating in the Rising commemorations at the GPO this Easter.
The new Mayo division will be holding an open information evening in the St Vincent de Paul building on Pavilion Road in Castlebar (beside the Garda Station ) on Tuesday April 12 at 7pm. All interested are being encouraged to attend the event to find out more about the division and the services it offers. No prior experience is required to join, this is a chance to train and potentially make a difference in your community.
The new division will be under the stewardship of Michael Corrigan (member in charge ) and Niall McCormick (deputy member in charge ). “It is our vision that highly trained first aiders will be on hand to provide care and help to those in need in communities across Mayo. Although the Mayo division will be based in Castlebar we will provide first aid and ambulance cover at events across the entire county,” explained the pair.
St John Ambulance provides first aid and ambulance cover up to advanced paramedic level, as well as providing nurses and doctors at events around the country. These range from international sports events to local dance competitions. Members work alongside statutory, private, and other voluntary ambulance services at concert venues, sports stadia, and exhibition centres such as the Mayo Convention Centre and Croke Park. St John Ambulance also runs public courses in community caring, community first aid, paediatric first aid, and occupational first aid. St John Ambulance is an entirely voluntary organisation, reliant on donations from the public and fundraising events run by the members in the division for its continued success.
