St. John members do this four day course as it is very comprehensive and acts as a foundation for everything else you will learn. The committee trys to progress all its active members towards being qualified for unsupervised duty as a first aider. Members are told by the committee when these courses are and everyone who needs them is encouraged to attend. However they are not the whole story as experience is the best teacher and duties provide an excellent opportunity to practice first aid skills in a wide range of situations, from trauma on the scramble track to intoxication at May Balls. With experience and competence first aid qualified members treat increasingly demanding casualties and can usefully assist our ambulance crews.
Duties also provide an opportunity to meet new people, and to chat to members of other divisions.
In going on to Ambulance Aid, it is necessary for members first to have shown they have mastered First Aid in a range of trauma and medical situations. Without these previously acquiring these skills a member would simply not pass the assessments. Entry of a member onto the Fundamentals of Care or Ambulance Aid courses is discussed by the committee. They must be put forward to County HQ by the chairman as the unit is allocated tight quotas on how many members can be put forward. The committee feels that the First Aid at Work course should be done in the first year of membership.