The Service’s third Annual Awards Evening was held last week at the Peninsula Hotel.

Following the opening address by the Chief Ambulance Officer, the first half of the evening was devoted to the presentation of qualifications gained by staff and volunteers during the previous year. These included the First Person on Scene qualification, gained by employees, Ambulance Reserve volunteers and Herm Island’s First Aiders. Also presented were Inshore Rescue Boat crew qualifications, Advanced Life Support Provider qualifications to three Paramedics, and the Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector to the Service’s full-time Paramedic Tutor.

Before the interval, a special Award was made. Eight year Luke Ferbrache was presented with the Chief Ambulance Officer’s Bravery Award for alerting the neighbours when his Grandmother was taken ill. Her condition could have easily been confused for simply falling asleep but Luke recognised the danger and quickly and calmly got help. Emergency Medical Technician Tim Hitchin, one of the ambulance crew who attended to Luke’s Grandmother, presented him with his Award.

After a short Interval the Guest Speaker, Ms Jo Webber, Director of the Ambulance Service Network, addressed the audience. She noted how innovative the Service was in many areas and how the larger Ambulance Trusts in the UK could learn from us.

The rest of the evening was devoted to the presentation of awards recognising long service and performance. A number of long service awards were presented to staff and also to Nick Bougourd and Perry Fowler in recognition of their services as Voluntary Coxswains on the Marine Ambulance over many years. Several Chief Ambulance Officer’s Recognitions of Performance were awarded, including the Award for the most appreciations received during the year – which this year went to Paramedic Steve Torode. The Mick Peters Award for exceptional contribution to Rescue and Special Services was awarded to Station Officer Andy Adam for his work with the Cliff Rescue Team and Hyperbaric Recompression Centre. The evening culminated with the presentation of two Chief Ambulance Officer’s Commendations. The first Commendation was awarded to Service Engineer Dave Bichard for his swift actions in preventing further damage to the Marine Ambulance when an electrical malfunction in the Engine Room Fire Suppression System caused a loud bang and billowing black smoke to be seen issuing from the rear of the vessel during routine checks on the mooring last October. The second Commendation was awarded to Paramedic Shelly Rodrigues for her actions in responding together with a colleague on the St Peter Port Lifeboat to a sick crew member on board a fishing vessel 20 miles North West of Guernsey. In adverse sea conditions, Shelly transferred to the fishing vessel, the Angel Emile, and diagnosed a severe anaphylactic reaction. She provided advanced paramedical treatment, including drug therapy, to stabilise the patient and, due to the by now worsening sea conditions, stayed on board the fishing vessel continually monitoring her patient for the two hour voyage back to St Peter Port.