South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) was proud to attend this year’s HMS Collingwood Open Day, supporting one of the South Coast’s largest family events alongside the Royal Navy and emergency service partners. The annual event showcases the Royal Navy and the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity’s famous Field Gun Competition, while providing visitors with the opportunity to meet organisations that serve their local communities.
Despite the hot summer weather, the SCAS team enjoyed a busy and successful day, engaging with hundreds of visitors of all ages. 15 staff and volunteers attended the event, including two Call takers from Southern House and two members of the SCAS BASICS team, providing interactive demonstrations, sharing lifesaving advice and speaking to the public about the work of the ambulance service, community first responders and volunteering opportunities.
The event logistics were expertly coordinated by George Carr, Emergency Care Assistant, with support from Ben Cole, Community Education and Training Officer.
Visitors were warmly welcomed by SCAS colleagues, who answered questions about emergency care, demonstrated CPR and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and encouraged people to gain the confidence to act in an emergency. The stand proved extremely popular throughout the day, with many families taking the opportunity to learn new lifesaving skills and meet ambulance staff.
George Carr said:
“It was fantastic to see so many people visiting the SCAS stand despite the high temperatures. The public were incredibly supportive and engaged, with lots of people keen to learn CPR and find out more about the ambulance service. Events like this are a great opportunity to build relationships with our communities and help people feel more confident in knowing what to do in an emergency.”
SCAS would like to thank everyone who visited the stand and to the organisers at HMS Collingwood for hosting another excellent community event. We are also grateful to all of the staff and volunteers who gave their time to represent the trust and help inspire more people to learn lifesaving skills.