Victoria St. John Ambulance volunteers are rushing to the aid of Our Place clients.
The local first aid brigade has begin weekly clinic services that treat medical conditions ranging from minor injuries to seriously infected wounds.
Each week approximately 12 patients check into the clinic for assessment.
“Duty shifts at Our Place provide volunteers with an opportunity to give back to the community and make a difference in people’s lives,” said St. John Ambulance Victoria board chair and retired fire chief Dave Hodgins.
Our Place is an inner-city community centre serving Greater Victoria’s most vulnerable: working poor, impoverished elderly, mentally and physically challenged, addicted and the homeless.
“Having access to health services in our drop-in centre is vitally important to the people we serve,” said Don Evans, executive director of Our Place.
“For a variety of reasons, including but not limited to social anxiety, vulnerable people can be reluctant to seek out medical help. Having the St. John Ambulance volunteers stationed in our new medical room can be a life-saver.”
During each shift, a minimum of two St. John Ambulance volunteers work together to treat patients within the new medical room.