~JcZw

Just thought I'd commemorate of the most memorable incidents in my 4 years of St. John. Few people, even from my squad know about it. It took place in 2003 during one of the public duties.

The sun blazed mercilessly down on the stadium, on the thousand primary school students seated there. They were cheering for their runners who blasted down the track, sweat streaming off as they contested not only the elements of the arid weather but also that of their fellow competitors.

Among the many people attending the event, at four corners of the stadium stood groups of two, three or four people. Clad in black pants or skirts, white shirts tucked in at waist and smoothed to the neck, jet black berets pulled down over the right ear. On both sleeves blazed the insignia of a silver eight pointed cross on a black background. Around each two points was the image of a unicorn and a horse, alternating. For these were the first aiders of the St. John Ambulance Brigade. At the feet of each group lay the red, black or green boxes containing every piece of equipment anticipated that would be needed for the event.

A few of the first aiders wore slightly different insignias. Their berets held a larger crest, with a ribbon image trailing from beneath the cross. On their right sleeves they bore a white rimmed black stripe. Lance Corporal of the Anglican High St. John Ambulance Brigade. First Aid Leaders of the teams they supervised.

At this particular time all first aiders stood at parade rests at their posts, eyes roving from time to the time across the crowd for signs of distress. Occasionally they drew a drink from their bottles. It would not do for they themselves to become casualties. And they talked intermittently to each other. The general air was that of relaxation for it was rare of any first aid scenarios, least of all serious ones, to occur at such events.

So it was when the event came to an end and one of the First Aid Leaders ran around the track to recall first aid teams who did not reply to their handphone calls. When he reached the furthest team, they reported an anomaly in the otherwise accident-free environment.

"O/C, that man in the car has been horning at us for sometime."
"You didn't go and check?"
"No O/C."
"Okay. Pack up first. I'll go to check it out"

The junior first aiders repacked their first aid kit and were about to leave when one of them turned back. "O/C, do you need help?"

The first aider heasitated. He should have replied yes. But being ignorant of the enormity of the incident, he just said "No. It should be okay." Still, it was with a certain measure of trepidation that he approached the car, quickening his pace, boots cracking against the asphalt, as he noticed the driver slumped weakly over the steering wheel.

"Sir, are you okay?"

The driver glanced up.
"No," he stuttered. Recognition flashed through the St. John member's eyes, as he recalled this elderly man running in the old boy's race not half an hour ago. "Can't really breathe... seems very stuffy.." he muttered. Hyperventilation, asthma, heart problems, angina, flashed through the first aider's mind. He was suddenly painfully aware that he had no first aid equipment with him, nor did he have any spare members to get help with.

"Sir can you sit up?" The driver leaned painfully back, then hauled himself out of the car, making an obvious effort. He ran forward and holding him by the hand, eased him out of the car onto the nearby grass verge. "Do you have any medical condition?" A shake of the head showed a negative reply. "Heart problems or anything?" Again no. "Do you have any medication?" Still no.

Okay. He had done all he could, now he just supported the man with his leg, foot against the base of the spine, hands across the casualty's shoulders. Then, even as he began to regulate the man's ragged breathing, even as he mentally reviewed emergency procedures, he reached for his handphone, speed-dialled the second FAL and was about to depress the green button when the man's breathing became regular.

"Okay, I think I feel better now." Those were the sweetest words he could have wished to hear. After scaring himself half to death, the only thing that was needed was some regularizing of breathing. But the man's condition did not seem to fit anything that he had learnt before, nor did it fit the case history. So he told the man everything he knew about consulting a doctor if the condition became worst etcetc. The man smiled his assent and waved him away. With a swift "thank you sir" the St. John member sprang to his feet and retreated back to the shade of the first aid post.

Later on he discovered that the man had driven off. He never knew what really happened, nor whether anything subsequently happened to that man. But he prayed that nothing did. For if it had been a heart problem, it would have been a miricle that the casualty could stay in a stuffy car for half an hour calling for assistance without passing out. But the experience he'd gained from this incident he would retain until the present day.