SJA crew helps deliver baby during heavy snow

St John Ambulance volunteer crews have been working across the counties supporting the NHS Ambulance Service Trusts with emergency call outs during the extreme snow conditions, including helping deliver a baby and rescuing an injured sledger.

Premature baby

In Suffolk St John Ambulance volunteers responding to an emergency call helped East of England Ambulance Service paramedic, Kev Kane, deliver a premature baby girl. The infant, not due for another five weeks, was delivered at home by the ambulance workers as the midwife battled through the snow to get to the pregnant woman in Lowestoft.

The SJA team, consisting of Lynn Slowey, Kirk Bowdige and Martin Robbins have been on standby to provide additional support to the East of England Ambulance Service throughout this week’s cold weather. The crew were dispatched at 8.39am this morning, Thursday 7 January, and at 8:58am a 4lb baby girl was born.

Marcus Bailey, Suffolk general manager, for the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: ‘We’re delighted to report that mum and baby are doing well. Our crew and St John Ambulance did a great job in making sure the baby came into a very wintry world safe and healthy.

'This situation highlights the support and co-operation we enjoy through our relationship with St John Ambulance in Suffolk and the important role they play, especially in adverse weather conditions.’

Keith Hotchkiss, operations manager at St John Ambulance Suffolk, said: ‘Our crew was delighted that they were close enough to be able to assist and the delivery of a healthy baby is a great way to start the day.’

Sledging incident

In Bristol, a volunteer was dispatched to the scene of a sledging incident on Trooper’s Hill.

A 46 year old man was in severe pain and unable to walk after tipping over during his descent down the hill and getting his leg caught beneath the sledge.

Due to the thick snow a conventional ambulance was unable to get close enough to the scene, so assistance was requested from St John Ambulance and a 4x4 rapid response vehicle, manned by Jeremy Hughes, arrived within minutes.

A fire crew was dispatched to cut through the park’s locked gates to allow Jeremy access to administer vital first aid, including providing pain relief, keeping the patient warm and providing support for the broken leg. Jeremy was able to transport the patient using his 4x4 to the main road where an ambulance crew was waiting to take the injured man to hospital.

St John Ambulance provides a rapid response supporting the statutory services in the most difficult situations and gives immediate aid to those most in need.