Emergency Medical Technician Laura Kanjere has received a Chief Officer’s Commendation for her actions during a medical incident in the English Channel off Alderney earlier this year.
Chairman Steve Le Page with EMT Laura Kanjere.
On 5th June 2019 Guernsey Coast Guard received a call for assistance from a small yacht for a female crew member who had suffered a head injury. The patient was reported to be not fully alert for a time, feeling dizzy and shivering.
An emergency ambulance crew was requested by the Acting Harbour Master to go on board the RNLI’s St Peter Port Lifeboat to liaise with the vessel and to assess and treat the patient.
Station Officer Paramedic Sonia Guille and EMT Laura Kanjere responded to the call and sailed with the lifeboat from the harbour. The weather and sea conditions in the Channel were described as rough and the yacht suffered damage to its mast. Under the guidance of the lifeboat crew, Laura elected to transfer to the yacht to assess and stabilise the patient, before assisting the casualty back to the lifeboat.
Station Officer Sonia Guille stated “Laura was very brave in transferring across to the yacht, taking into consideration the state of the sea, and having witnessed what had happened to the mast of the small vessel.”
The yacht was towed back to St Peter Port harbour and the patient was taken by road ambulance to the Emergency Department of the PEH for further treatment.
Chief Officer Ali Marquis said “The Chief Officer’s Commendation recognises exceptional actions by ambulance staff. I am extremely proud of what Laura did on that day. Having ascertained the seriousness of the situation and considered all the risks she acted in acted in a brave and selfless manner to ensure the patient received the necessary treatment.”