Stretchers donated to St John Rescue Corps

Four paraguard stretchers were donated to the St John Rescue Corps - Malta by Mr and Mrs Duncan P.J. Stafford of Somerset, UK.

Following a demonstration in specialised rescue skills, closely followed by Mr and Mrs Stafford, the stretchers were officially presented to the Corps Commander of the St John Rescue Corps, Marquis Anthony Buttigieg De Piro.

This is not the first time that Mr and Mrs Stafford have contributed to an organisation of St John Ambulance in Malta. Some years ago they had donated an ambulance to the Birzebbuga Division of St John Ambulance Brigade (First Aid and Nursing) some years ago.

Duncan and Jane Stafford are both former serving members of St John Ambulance in England.

Following the rescue demonstrations, in one of which a paraguard stretcher was used, Mr and Mrs Stafford were shown around Fort Madalena, the headquarters and training school of the Rescue Corps.

The Corps Commander hosted a reception at the Officers' Mess in honour of the donors and, in a brief address, thanked Mr and Mrs Stafford for their support.

Marquis Buttigieg De Piro stressed that it was such donations of equipment which proved to the hard-working and dedicated rescue volunteers of the Corps that their contribution was not unnoticed. The Corps Commander said such equipment was often very expensive to purchase and to ship to Malta.

Marquis Buttigieg De Piro spoke about the work, training and operations of the Corps and formally introduced Capt. Reuben Lanfranco as the new Deputy Corps Commander. Capt. Lanfranco has served for many years as the Assistant Commissioner of the St John Ambulance Brigade (First Aid and Nurslng) and he will now serve as the second-in-command of the St John Rescue Corps.

Capt. Lanfranco has an excellent record of service in the Armed Forces, and is academically highly qualified in international and maritime law. He is currently director of the Maritime Institute of the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST).

At the end of his address, Marquis Buttigieg De Piro spoke about the wish of the Rescue Corps to formally show its gratitude to the donors, and nominated Duncan and Jane Stafford honorary Senior Divisional Officers of the St John Rescue Corps.