Ambulance Memorial

I have been in the Ambulance Service nearly 27 years and, as many who sit here today, have seen changes never dreamed of when I began. There have been developments which have been made to meet the requirement by Government and more importantly patient care.

People have driven those changes, people have set about to challenge the understanding and expectation of those who saw the Ambulance Service as a basic care provider. They had vision and understanding of what the staff were capable of and grabbed the nettle, many were stung, but the pursued those dreams with passion and commitment. I remember the fight we had to bring defibrillators into the Service, and how we raised funds from the public, did our training in our own time and undertook assessments on our days off. Today it seems incredible that there was such opposition from so many quarters.

We remember those who have gone before, ordinary people doing an extraordinary role. When we remember these colleagues, we should also think of the thousands of people who have been touched by the treatment they received, we think of illnesses diagnosed, traumatic injuries dealt with, drunks handled, psychiatric patients cared for, the young, the elderly and everyone in between. Think of the dying comforted, babies born, and road accidents attended, in fact everything from A to Z and all that is in between. All this with only a few weeks basic training and a great deal of experience gained along the way. We need to be proud of who we are, and of the men and women who have served the public to the highest degree of dedication and commitment.

There can be a trend to think only of the future and forget the past. The advances of today, and will come tomorrow are appointed to meet the challenges set before us. One area is that of solo responders. Let me tell you of a chap I once worked with on his last day before retirement. He had been in the Merchant Navy during the war; he was on the North Atlantic runs and saw many vessels, including his own attacked and sunk by U boats. On that last shift he showed me a key on a chain. It was a key issued to him on his first day of work as an Ambulanceman. It unlocked the Police boxes in Blackpool. He told me that he would be sent out to investigate an emergency call, if the patient needed to go to hospital he would use the Police phone to ring in and call for the Ambulance. Then when the crew arrived he rang in again to be given the next job, which by the way he went to by either tram or bus. So perhaps solo responders are not as new an idea as we may think.

Many here today will reflect on those they worked with and knew, maybe had a game of snooker or played darts with during a lull in the calls. Many became good friends, relationships built, spouses getting together at social events. Times of laughter and times of tears, those we remember today gave us a strong heritage of getting stuck in, thinking on your feet, being a friend, comforter, counsellor, encourager, strong arm, listening ear and someone who would sort everything out – whatever and wherever they were called to.

I personally have found my Faith to be a wonderful source of comfort and has helped me get through the difficult times. I have also had what I call God-instances, where being a Christian has placed me exactly in the right place at the right time. One particular occasion was when I attended a 999 call, when we arrived we were met by the patient’s wife who was upset, but in control. Her husband was dying from cancer, both knew he was terminally ill and she said he was now unconscious. She did not want any attempt to resuscitate, and had called us because she did not know who else to contact. I went into the bedroom, the curtains were closed, and a bedside lamp was the only light. It was immediately obvious that the man was close to death. I noticed next to the bed was an open Bible, his wife suddenly said that she had been reading t he Bible to him, as they were both Christians, but she felt she could not continue as it was too distressing, and asked if I would read to him, even if I did not believe, the words would still matter. I was privileged to tell her I was a Christian and able to spend a few minutes reading the passage to him as he passed from this life. The passage she asked me to read was this;

Psalm 23;

 1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
    He leads me beside the still waters.
 3 He restores my soul;
         He leads me in the paths of righteousness
         For His name’s sake.

 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
         I will fear no evil;
         For You are with me;
         Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
         You anoint my head with oil;
         My cup runs over.
 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
         All the days of my life;
         And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
         Forever.

This famous Psalm has been read over centuries at time of difficulty or in remembrance Services. Its words, written by King David, give an insight  to the reader of the Grace and Mercy of our Lord. For that man dying in bed to hear those words, and for those who  we remember this day to have read the understanding and knowledge that those words are applicable today are a source of immeasurable comfort. The Great shepherd overseeing the flock, the green pastures of His abundant blessings, where we can simply lay and bask in His presence. The calm stillness of the quiet living waters of a Christian life, where our souls are restored and Divinely protected from straying away from the straight narrow path through the Saviour’s name. Even the invoking of the threat of death, has no hold, the fearless protected by the Heavenly hand of God with rod & staff held firmly. The thought that God loves us so much that He will lay a banquet of joy, peace and forgiveness before you and in full view of those who would try to do you injustice. The anointing oil flowing from the throne of blessings, so that your soul overflows with goodness and the expectancy when we shall be placed in the household of the saints forever.

These are the things we treasure and take hold of whilst in life, the collective names in the books of remembrance are testimony to the Ambulance Service of today, and they are the underpinning of the quality and professionalism which the staff express in their daily working lives. The life application of the 23^rd Psalm is just as powerful as it was all those centuries ago when the writer

scribed them. Those loved ones we bring to mind who have given so much in caring for those in traumatic and debilitating circumstances, are the bedrock by which we build upon for the tomorrows of our clinical care and excellence, their hands are on the shoulders of the technicians and paramedics who form the Service of the future.

Let us remember with pride the friends and colleagues whose names are written, not just in a volume of pages, but on our minds forever.