NEWS photo Cindy Goodman SUTHERLAND SECONDARY students prep for a mock earthquake evacuation urilt at Lions Gate Hospital recently by putting on fake injuries with makeup for authenticity. St. John Ambuiance votun- ries. WIA L palvat res m ri wd i \ ‘Customize this Christmas) v he ustomizer art : 2 at «a OFF SUSG. RETAIL raw Full range oF Célours , “er order before Dec. 12 for Christmas Delivery i (based on product available) : Offer ends Dec, 34/92 A SHADE BETTER h - 4 y d Specializing in Blinds and Draperies for over 7 years 4877 Marine Drive, N.Van. 9084-44 04 #4-38048 Progress Way, Squamish 892-5357 Whistter 932-6617 teers also participated in the ‘exercise. tending to the mock inju- - ; YOU SEE them at most community events on the North Shore. Dressed in their white jackets, they are there to of- fer first aid to anyone who needs it, free of charge. They are members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade Division 640, which works on the North Shore. But who are these people? ‘*We’re very low profile,’’ says Jacquie Bjornson, Division 640 superintendent. ‘‘People either confuse us with the ambulance service or religious organiza- tions.” The St. John Ambulance brigade is made up of volunteers who have other regular jobs. They are all skilled first-aiders, and they volunteer their time and ser- vices ai most community events on the North Shore. But, says Bjornson, there are some things the local St. John Ambulance team does not do. “We don’t transport patients. We're not an ambulance service. If you need an ambulance, you should call 9-1-1. “We're not paid, and we do not require payment from community groups,”’ says Bjornson. ROBERT GENN, ECA. By Surj Rattan News Reporter A While they are all volunteers, Bjornson says there are casts associated with the work the St. John Ambulance members do: vehicle maintenance, first-aid supplies and training for division members. On the North Shore, division 640 has a $40,000 first-aid post, which is a van. The group generates funds through its first-aid training courses, the net revenue of which is recycled back into the com- munity. Division 640 has also been given a $3,500 community grant from the three North Shore municipalities and receives dona- tion from community groups. But a lack of volunteers is cur- rently preventing division 640 members from attending every OUR ANNUAL event it is asked to go to. Bjornson says more volunteers are needed for the North Shere. ““We’re fussy about who we get. We meet on a regular basis to upgrade our first-aid skills, and we require a commitment of a minimum of five hours a month. **We lose a lot of our members to the ambulance, fire and police services. But our volunteers get a fot of personal satisfaction, because they know they are put- ting back into the community,”’ says Bjornson: “It’s (volunteer level) down. People are just not volunteering like they used to,’ she says. Division 640 currently has a roster of 28 people, 20 of whom are actively volunteering. Bjornson says the basic prere- quisites for becoming a St. John Ambulance: volunteer are having the standard first aid and level C CPR. Most members also have indus- trial first-aid training. For more information and for information about first-aid train- ing, call 984-3475. ' CLAUDE PICHER, R.C.A. CHRISTMAS GROUP EXHIBITION AND SALE MONDAY, DECEMBER 14th AND CONTINUING UNTIL DECEMBER 24th . ARTISTS ALSO FEATURED IN THIS SHOW: Drew Burnham Peter Ewart Sara Genn Dan Gray, C.S.PA. Graham Herbert Janet Ireland Norman Kelly Harold Lyon .Bruce Muir Michael O'Toole Nancy O”Toole Stafford Plant, EC.A. Deborah Putman Geoffrey Rock Allen Sapp, R.C.A. Linda Wagner 1360 MARINE DRIVE, WEST VANCOUVER PHONE 922-7934 GALLERY HOURS: MONDAY-SATURDAY 10:30 TO 5:00 PM, SUNDAY 12 TO 4 PM “Fine Art Makes a Lasting Gift and Investment”’ ony*