Whether they’re racing down Guernsey’s lanes, navigating the waves aboard the Flying Christine III marine ambulance, or providing vital care in Alderney – our local ambulance crews are always there when we need them most.
This Wednesday, Guernsey is joining a massive global celebration for International Paramedics Day to say a huge thank you to these everyday heroes.
While the day has “paramedic” in the name, local organisers are making it clear that this celebration belongs to the entire team.
“International Paramedics Day is not just about paramedics, it is about recognising the valuable, often life-saving work carried out by all ambulance clinicians,” said Chief Ambulance Officer John Atkins.
He explained that Guernsey’s highly skilled paramedics work alongside Emergency Medical Technicians and Emergency Care Assistants.
Meanwhile, in Alderney, the Emergency Ambulance Crews are supported by a Paramedic Team Leader and Paramedic Leads.
Atkins also highlighted that they work closely with staff in Primary Care, HSC, and the voluntary sector with the common goal to provide the right person-centred care, in the right place, at the right time.
Thousands of calls
It remains a massive operation for our small islands.
Every single year, the ambulance service – run by St John – responds to around 10,000 calls.
This includes roughly 7,000 emergency and urgent calls alongside 3,000 non-emergency patient transfers.
From collaborating with first responders in Herm and Sark to working alongside the Guernsey charity, these teams are the definition of community spirit in action.
So, if you see an ambulance crew out and about this week, take a second to give them a wave and a well-deserved “thank you!”
Did you know?
The date of International Paramedics Day was chosen to honour Napoleon Bonaparte’s chief surgeon, Dominique Jean Larrey, who is widely considered the “father of modern-day ambulance services” and was born on 8 July 1766.
