St.John's Ambulance - What Are They FOR?

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

There was a point towards the end of the second half when one of the Oldham players fell heavily over one of his own side and landed full weight on his neck. It looked dreadful and you got the feeling he could quite easily have broken his neck. This happened right in front of the St. John's Ambulance, and once again they made absolutely no effort whatsoever to attend the bloke or warn others not to move him in case he ended up paralysed. Luckily the guy got to his feet OK in the end.

Now I'm sure the St. John's know what they're doing, but I'd have sort of hoped that maybe their training would have kicked in and they'd have made some kind of effort to get involved when the incident happened. Come to think of it, I've NEVER seen them get up off their seats even tho there's been players flat out sparko on the pitch. No lectures please on what a fine job they're doing, as I'm sure that is the case. Instead I'd be interested in what their standing instructions are; do they wait for a signal from the referee and/or team physios orcan they act on their own initiative. It's a serious question.

 

[Safeway]

Not sure which game it was this season, possibly Swindon, when Roberts came out and clattered one of the opposition. Nothing malicious but the player lay motionless immediately afterwards. Both physios ran on and decided that a stretcher was needed. The St John's people took so long ambling across that even the Brighton players were shouting at them to hurry up.

Like you say, I'm sure they're very good at what they do but they do seem somewhat laxadasical in their approach.

 

[bhaexpress]

I hear that people are dying to find out .....

 

[Juan Albion]

Pedant first: It's St John Ambulance. They get really narked when people call them St John's. Their problem I suppose.

I have a feeling that they are told they must walk not run with the stretcher. I might be wrong but I think they are trained to do that even though it must be tempting to run.

 

[Safeway]

Actually, one of their 'stewards' did get a bit feisty with me at last year's beach soccer tournament when I turned up and asked for something to cover the recently-administered tattoo on my forearm. Muttered something along the lines of "didn't you realise it was going to be sunny today.......this is a waste of resources....blah, blah, blah".

She walked as well though, never ran.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Pedant first: It's St John Ambulance.

Actually Juan, I think you'll find it's "St. John Ambulance"

 

[mitch]

are you all sure it's a stretcher i always thought it was a bench the amount of time they have thier four fat arses wedged on it. only seen them get on the pitch once and it was so comical and when they did eventually get to the player they were'nt needed anyway

 

[desprateseagull]

under ref's direction?

afaik, they need to have referee's request, or on iffy ground legally, if try to treat someone, and make matters worse.

anyway, shouldn't the club have fulltime ambulance crew in case something goes wrong, rather than get volunteers, on the free?

lastly, the SJA have to pay for uniforms, and maybe also the kit they use... ?

someone somewhere is making a mint out of this 'charity'...

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Would have expected somebody by now to leap in with a stout defence of the SJA or a quote from the rulebook. Pretty weird that nobody has. Must be the first time NSC has been stumped for an answer. Best leave it at that, eh?

 

[Juan Albion]

Actually Juan, I think you'll find it's "St. John Ambulance"

If you check with St/St. John Ambulance websites around the world you will find that is to be debated.

The UK site is sure it is "St." while the Aussies seem to prefer "St" whilst Wales (with a site of its own) is undecided and uses both.

 

[oapdodge]

Sit looking like Vultures,but agree with the incident did look horrific and they didn't move a muscle.

 

[Incredigull]

They are for drinking tea at half time near the away section/hospitality

 

[Drips]

Not sure which game it was this season, possibly Swindon, when Roberts came out and clattered one of the opposition.

Think it was the QPR game.
Probably wanted their 20 minutes of fame in front of the TV cameras

 

[Yorkie]

It was the QPR game. I videoed it.

Club physios also know first aid and would know better than to move a player who had fallen badly until they had checked the neck.

It is true that the St John Ambulance cannot come onto the pitch unless invited by the ref.

The worst thing that can happen to a player is to swallow their tongue and it was another player once who saved a life by putting his fingers in his mouth.

 

[Shegull]

My son is Lance Corporal in the Irish Branch of the St. John's Amblance.

I will check with him later as to the situation of coming onto the pitch but I do kinow that they have to wait for permission to go onto the pitch and somewhere along the line the responsibility is taken over by the club's medical attendants as after all there is so much money involved in players these days that the clubs won't take any chances as far as treatment is concerned.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I'll stand up for the St. John Ambulance people. They are fully trained and they do the job to the standards which have been set. Quite properly, those standards recognise that the referee is in charge of the match. And they don't run around like headless chickens.

SJA provide first aid cover not only for players, but for spectators. They do this by using unpaid volunteers - but to a professional standard. And they are trusted with the biggest events in the country - stuff like the Commonwealth Games.

The Withdean volunteers were only too happy to turn up for the REMF game.

To answer THPP's question - I would assume that referees (and the fourth official) are properly instructed on how and when they should call upon the SJA people to intervene. If there's a problem, maybe the FA should be looking at it.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I was at a 6 a side tournament last year when two players clashed heads quite badly. One was knocked out, while the other merely had a bit of a sore bonce. After glancing briefly at the unconscious player until she came round, the three plump old Dorises from St John Ambulance then left her and disappeared off to the ambulance with the other (ok) player, leaving the groggy one lying on the floor seeing stars still.

After about 5 minutes, her team mates helped her off the pitch, whereby she passed out on the touchline. After a few frantic shouts, the St John people grudgingly wandered back over to see to her. Excellent medical treatment....

After that, their performance at Withdean, where they appeared to be having a competition to see who could walk slowest to the injured (QPR?) player, did not surprise me one bit.

 

[Shegull]

I'll stand up for the St. John Ambulance people. They are fully trained and they do the job to the standards which have been set. Quite properly, those standards recognise that the referee is in charge of the match. And they don't run around like headless chickens.

SJA provide first aid cover not only for players, but for spectators. They do this by using unpaid volunteers - but to a professional standard. And they are trusted with the biggest events in the country - stuff like the Commonwealth Games.

The Withdean volunteers were only too happy to turn up for the REMF game.

To answer THPP's question - I would assume that referees (and the fourth official) are properly instructed on how and when they should call upon the SJA people to intervene. If there's a problem, maybe the FA should be looking at it.

I fully agree with you here. My son is only 17 but has a vast training in First Aid and this year will move into the Senior Section of the St. Johns Amublance. This will lead on to his chosen career of an Emergency Medical Technican. Not sure about England but certainly in Ireland a lot of Paramedics have passed through the ranks of the St. John's Ambulance. As you rightly say they are a volunteer organisation and in my opinion would certainly hold their own against other voluntary organisations such as army and lifeboat but with the exception that they take them and train them from a very young age.

While on holiday in Spain recently my son came across a situation where he was able to assist a man who suffered from diabetes and passed out, even down to organising for an ambulance, despite the lack of "english" by the hotel staff and arguing with the hotel staff who wanted to charge for the drink of coca cola which would have sugar into the patient. I have no doubt that without his training he would not have known what to do and how to go about it. It is something that will always be with him.

I am very proud of him

 

[Spiros]

I will stand up for SJA. In a previous part-time job with the local emergency services I dealt with SJA and found then pretty good. Like most other emergency services these days they are tied up in red tape. At football they are not allowed onto the pitch unless specifically called on. Most of the SJA people I have dealt with have been blokes in their late teens/early 20s who are looking to go on to become an ambulance paramedic or similar. Although there are a few 'dorises' like edna mentioned, they are the exception rather than the rule.

There is also a sensible reason why they walk rather than run across the pitch with the stretcher. The pitch is usually muddy and slippery. They are wearing normal black leather shoes, not football boots (bear in mind they are also there to deal with the crowd). Some players have enough trouble keeping their feet with boots on.

If you don't think much of how they do thier job why don't you try doing it? You might then realise how good they are

 

[Titanic]

for the St John Ambulance volunteers!