Bailiwick-wide call outs for Flying Christine

Thursday 29 September 2022

Calls to Alderney, Sark, and Herm over the last few days have seen Guernsey's marine ambulance in action across the Bailiwick.

Volunteers crewing the Flying Christine III were deployed yesterday to Alderney.

Earlier this week, the St John vessel had been dispatched to Herm, while last Friday it was sent to Sark.

Pictured: St John Ambulance staff and volunteers have had three Bailiwick wide incidents to deal with this week. Image from Jim Cathcart, St John Ambulance.

A spokesman for the charity said the Alderney call out was "requested for a patient with a medical condition, requiring further assessment and treatment in Guernsey".

The Flying Christine III left St Peter Port harbour just before 09:30 yesterday and was in Alderney a little over an hour later. The paramedic crew were met by the Alderney Ambulance at Braye Harbour and the patient was transferred for the return journey to St Peter Port, and onward transfer to the Princess Elizabeth Hospital.

Monday's call to Herm was to assist with a medical incident.

A patient with a medical condition needed further assessment so the Flying Christine III was sent out to bring them back to Guernsey to go to the Emergency Department at the PEH.

The patient was at the hospital within an hour of the call for assistance being made. 

Last Friday evening's call to Sark was at the request of the Sark doctor, who had a patient needing treatment which can not be offered in the smaller island.

The patient was transferred to the marine ambulance at the Maseline Harbour before being brought across to St Peter Port and on to the PEH. As well as the volunteer Flying Christine crew and the paramedics, the Guernsey Fire and Rescue Service were asked to assist with transferring the patient from the boat to the road ambulance.

Pictured: The Flying Christine and its volunteer crew. (Chris George)

St John's spokesman said he would like to thank the volunteer boat crew of the Flying Christine III who attended to these incidents, as well as those in Alderney, Sark, and Herm for their assistance.

The Flying Christine III is provided by the St John Ambulance Guernsey charity with a boat crew made up of skilled volunteers from the local marine community and a medical team consisting of professional clinicians from Guernsey’s Emergency Ambulance Service.