GENERAL

1. The St. John Ambulance Brigade is a group of volunteer members who have a mutual commitment to provide total patient care and other community services to the general public, and who are trained to standard levels to ensure efficient and effective service.

MEMBERSHIP TYPE

2. Brigade membership is divided into the following membership types:

a. Patient Care Services

b. Community Care Services (eg. Therapy Dog Program)

c. Youth (includes Crusaders, Cadets and Juniors)

d. Auxiliary Services

e. Retired

AGE REQUIREMENT

3. Brigade members in adult divisions (Patient Care Services or Community Care Services) must be at least 18 years of age. Supervision of members while providing services is dependent on the function they are providing, and the required training for that function. Youth (under age 18) may be attached to adult divisions as Cadets or Crusaders, but must, in all cases, be supervised while providing any form of service. Juniors (age 6 to 10) are not authorized to provide Patient Care Services or Community Care Services.

PATIENT CARE SERVICES

4. Patient care services refers to duties in which the Brigade is present for the purpose of responding to situations involving illness or injury. This may include traditional public duties, ambulance services, ski patrol, and search and rescue.

5. Enrolment Qualifications ¾ Individuals wishing to enrol as patient care providers must:

a. agree to participate fully in the screening process for volunteers (see StJCI 2-9-2, paragraphs 2 to 5);

b. be physically capable of performing the public duties that are normal to the unit they join. A member who is physically incapable of performing public duties may put their skills and knowledge to work in other areas that will be of value to the Brigade;

c. hold, as a minimum, a valid St. John Ambulance Standard Level First Aid Certificate. For the purpose of enrolment only, certificates issued by the organizations listed below are acceptable, provided that the date of issue of the qualification is less than 3 years before the date of enrolment in the Brigade:

• Canadian Red Cross Society
• Industrial First Aid Certificate
• Canadian Ski Patrol System
• Royal Lifesaving Society of Canada
• Emergency Medical Technician/Emergency Medical Responder
• First Aid in the Workplace (CSST) (Québec)

Members enrolled with any of the above qualifications must acquire, within the first twelve months of service, as a minimum, a valid St. John Ambulance Standard Level First Aid Certificate. Note that new members may only provide supervised patient care duties until successful completion of BAP Level 1 (see StJCI 2-4-2).

Approval for enrolment qualifications other than those listed, may be sought through a request in writing to the National Training Officer, with a copy of the course outline (including number of hours of instruction) of the course in question.

d. Enrolment equivalency will be considered for an MD/RN in active clinical practice combined with a thorough and proficient knowledge of BTS, with no requirement to actively participate in public duties. An equivalency request must be submitted in writing to the Provincial/Territorial Medical or Nursing Officer. In the case of a request for equivalency for the Provincial/Territorial Medical or Nursing Officer, the request must be made in writing to the National Medical or Nursing Officer.

6. Retention of Membership ¾ The conditions for maintaining status as a patient care provider of the Brigade vary according to the position held:

a. members in administrative positions with no patient care are encouraged to renew Standard Level First Aid certification every three years;

b. members who perform patient care duties only under direct supervision must, as a minimum, renew Standard Level First Aid certification annually;

c. members who perform independent patient care duties must, as a minimum, successfully complete the Brigade Training System and Brigade Assessment Process (Level 1) annually;

d. equivalency may be sought for an MD/RN in active clinical practice combined with a thorough and proficient knowledge of BTS, with no requirement to participate in the Brigade Assessment Process (BAP). Equivalency requests must be submitted in writing to the Provincial/Territorial Medical or Nursing Officer. In the case of a request for equivalency for the Provincial/Territorial Medical or Nursing Officer, the request must be made in writing to the National Medical or Nursing Officer. Equivalency granted for BTS supersedes the membership requirement for Standard Level First Aid;

e. other health professionals in active practice combined with a thorough and proficient knowledge of BTS, and with no requirement to participate in the BAP, may seek equivalency through a request in writing to the National Training Officer.

COMMUNITY CARE SERVICES

7. Community care services refers to duties in which members are present for the purpose of serving the community in non-traditional ways, such as the Therapy Dog Program.

8. Qualifications ¾ Individuals wishing to enrol as community care providers in adult divisions must:

a. agree to participate fully in the screening process for volunteers (see StJCI 2-9-2, paragraphs 2 to 5);

b. be physically capable of performing the public duties that are normal to the unit they join. A member who is physically incapable of performing public duties may put their skills and knowledge to work in other areas that will be of value to the Brigade;

c. hold, as a minimum, any training that may be required to join the specific community care service (see StJCI 2-5 for details). Although they may not be required to hold a valid Standard Level First Aid certificate, they are encouraged, as members of St. John Ambulance, to obtain one.

YOUTH MEMBERS

9. Youth (under age 18) may be attached to adult divisions (Patient Care or Community Care Services) as Cadets or Crusaders, but must, in all cases, be supervised while providing any form of service. All youth members (under age 18) require the written consent of their parent or guardian. Members age 16 to 17 who are not residing with their parent or guardian may sign on their own behalf.

 

 

 

10. Crusaders ¾ The Crusader component is for youth 16 to 20 years of age. Qualifications for enrolment and retention are the same as for adults. At age 18, Crusaders have the following options:

a. become an adult member in an adult division,

b. become an adult member as an officer in a St. John Ambulance youth program, or

c. maintain Crusader status

Members may remain as Crusaders until they reach age 21, at which time they must transfer to an adult division.

11. Cadets ¾ The Cadet component is for youth 11 to 15 years of age. Candidates for enrolment must hold, as a minimum, a valid Emergency First Aid Certificate. Members must qualify at the Emergency First Aid level annually to retain their membership status.

12. Juniors ¾ The St. John Junior Program is for children 6 to 10 years of age.

AUXILIARY MEMBERSHIP

13. Qualification ¾ People interested in assisting the Brigade may be enrolled as Auxiliary members through a Brigade unit. Although they are not required to hold a valid Standard Level First Aid Certificate, they are encouraged, as members of St. John Ambulance, to obtain one. Auxiliary members are entitled to wear the badge of an Auxiliary.

14. Duties ¾ Auxiliary members may undertake various forms of service, such as:

a. general assistance in duties not requiring specific Brigade;

b. assistance as honorary auditors, solicitors, treasurers or secretaries;

c. instructors and examiners in Cadet Proficiency Subjects;

d. assistance in public relations and publicity, and in fundraising;

e. performing supervised public duties in the event of an emergency (only if the Auxiliary member holds valid first aid qualifications).

15. Reporting ¾ Auxiliary members are attached to a Brigade unit and report to the supervising Brigade officer. Records of their service will be maintained by the appropriate Provincial/Territorial Headquarters.

 

 

 

 

16. Auxiliary Chaplains ¾ Clergy may be enrolled as Auxiliary members to provide spiritual assistance within the Brigade. Their title will be "Auxiliary Provincial/Area/Divisional Chaplain" as applicable, and they will be entitled to wear the badge of an Auxiliary. Auxiliary Chaplains are not Chaplains, Sub-Chaplains or Assistant Chaplains of the Order, as these are specific grades of appointment within the Order to which membership is by selection.
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