Life-saving scheme is launched in Steyning
S05582H13 Launching the Message in a Bottle scheme at Steyning Health Centre, left to right, Dr Alex Rainbow, Steyning Area First Responders chairman Martin Leigh-Pollitt, Chanctonbury Lions Club president Keith Pope, Lion Brian Mansbridge and Bob Schuler from Wilson Memorial Trust
A scheme designed to help the emergency services find crucial information quickly was launched in Steyning on Friday.
The Message in a Bottle scheme has been organised by Steyning Area First Responders, following a request from doctors at Steyning Health Centre.
Wilson Memorial Trust and Chanctonbury Lions Club have helped fund the project, which encourages people to keep their basic personal and medical details in a common place where they can be easily found in an emergency.
Dr Alex Rainbow said it was particularly important to have such a scheme in rural areas like Steyning and Upper Beeding.
“It is low cost and targeted for a specific thing,” he said. “We want more and more premises to have this in place because why wouldn’t you want this information known about?”
Steyning first responders chairman Martin Leigh-Pollitt said the scheme meant vital information on patients would be available for the people who provide emergency treatment in homes, like paramedics.
“As far as we are concerned, it is important because they are people who go out on the front line and having this information could be critical.”
President Keith Pope and Brian Mansbridge from Chanctonbury Lions, and Bob Schuler from Wilson Memorial Trust, joined Dr Rainbow and Mr Leigh-Pollitt for the launch.
Mr Leigh-Pollitt explained there had been a similar scheme run in the past using camera film canisters, but it had fizzled out as these became less available.
The new bottles are larger and clearly marked. The householder fills in a simple form, puts it in the bottle then leaves it in the fridge.
Emergency services will know where to find it as the scheme provides two labels – one for the inside of the front door and the other for the fridge door.
Mr Leigh-Pollitt said doctors at the health centre had approached him last year and suggested the scheme would benefit local residents and at the same time, assist first responders and the emergency services when patients fall ill.
“We were delighted to help organise and fund this simple but effective scheme,” he added. “It has been successfully run in other areas and anything that helps find crucial information in an emergency can save lives.”
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Weather for Shoreham
Thursday 20 June 2013
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