Our first aid volunteers in Gwent will take part in vital training this weekend, ensuring they are fully prepared to respond during a major emergency incident.
The exercise will see 80 volunteers take part who will be exploring the internal processes and responses currently in place and helping ensure the best response possible should a major incident occur in the Gwent area.
While many people will be spending their Saturday out and about, volunteers from St John Cymru in Gwent, will be taking on a very different type of duty as they take on the role of casualties, bystanders and of course, first aid and rapid responders, to simulate the emergency incident.
The first exercise of its kind for volunteers in Gwent, took place last year where they were thrust into the heart of the action and faced a scenario which featured a ‘hostile vehicle’ – a vehicle which is driven maliciously with the intent to cause harm to a significant amount of people.
Due to its overwhelming success, the group are holding another emergency exercise on Sunday, the subject of which has yet to be announced.
“The exercise provides our volunteers with a unique opportunity to practise their skills and ensure they can deal with a major incident as efficiently and effectively as possible.
“While incidents like this are, thankfully, incredibly rare, we always want to make sure we can help people when they need it most,”
St John Cymru Gwent County Paramedic Officer, Tom Wing
This year’s exercise is taking place at Newport’s Lysaght Institute with volunteers from as far as Monmouth, Tredegar and Caerphilly taking part.
The scenario will be completed as part of an annual conference held specifically for St John Cymru volunteers in Gwent.
The conference provides a unique opportunity for volunteers to learn more about the latest developments in medical equipment, techniques and to develop their first aid skills.
-Ends-