About Us
Our History
1882 - St. Andrew's Ambulance Association was created by a number of doctors and businessmen in Glasgow, who were concerned with the increase in the number of people being injured in the rapidly expanding industrial city. First aid classes were organised, stretcher stations were set up in chemist shops in central Glasgow and an ambulance was bought.
Over the coming years affiliated branches were formed and ambulance associations in other towns and cities began to join with St. Andrew's
1891 - Dr. George Beatson's Ambulance Handbook was published by the Association. This book was the standard textbook in First Aid until 1932.
1904 - The various ambulance corps in Scotland were brought together in one administration as the St. Andrew's Ambulance Corps. The aim was to keep together those people who had been trained in first aid so that they could improve their first aid skills by practicing together and would be available at public gatherings.
1918 - The St. Andrew's and Red Cross Scottish Ambulance Service was established with the help of ambulances of the British Red Cross Society no longer in use after the First World War.
1937 - Royal Patronage was granted to the Association, with HRH The Queen Mother as Patron. HRH The Princess Royal is now the Association's Patron.
1948 - The National Health Service was formed and contracted St Andrew's and Red Cross Scottish Ambulance Service to provide the ambulance service in Scotland.
1967 - The British Red Cross society withdrew from the ambulance service, which became St Andrew's Scottish Ambulance service. The Association became the sole contractor for the provision of the ambulance service in Scotland.
St. Andrew's Ambulance Association Australia
Established under Scottish Charter on 5 April 1976 by the Director General St. Andrew's Ambulance Association Dr. Daniel Strachan, OBE.
The First Australian Director was Major General Sir Denzil MacArthur Onzlow, CBE, DSO, ED with Group Captain Dr. William Land, AM, RFD, AE, MBBS, DDM, PhD, MRACP appointed Surgeon in Chief in Australia.
The first Companies were formed at: RAAMC Military Hospital Healesville, Victoria and St. Kilda Private Hospital St. Kilda, Victoria. On 2 September 1980 these units merged with the Ballarat East Company established at Bergonia Hospital Ballarat East, Victoria.
1981 - Edward 'Ted' Rigby, JP was appointed Director, St. Andrew's Ambulance Association at Victoria Headquarters, 547 High St Kew, appointing Major John Frewen OStJ, JP ,as Deputy Director.
At this meeting it was decided that although First Aid formed a very important part of our operation, this area was currently fully serviced by St. John Ambulance Brigade. Thus it was decided to establish our Brigade's main area of operation as Hygiene in the field, where trained volunteers would be attached to established Non-Government Organisations (NGO's), such as the Red Cross, CARE Australia, World Vision and the Council of Churches. The emphasis was to support a fully trained officer in his direct application to the appropriate NGO involved in a particular disaster area. The officer on attachment would work overseas within an area of expertise to establish; cooking, ablution and toilet facilities in the field ensuring hygienic conditions prevailed.
An expert fully trained field training team was to be made available as required.
Already within the Association were suitably qualified officers both active and retired, fully trained by the RAAMC 3 Preventative Medical Company. Current qualified Municipal Health Officers, Military, Engineers, Paramedic Ambulance Officers and those skilled in Logistics, Supply and Administration. These were tasked with creating the training programme.
A team was formed and training began, honing the many skills already held by officers. It was agreed to continue first aid training and continue to issue qualifications via the hospitals at Healesville, HQ Ballarat and Melbourne.
2006 - the Association incorporated and reformed with a Board of Management under the Chairmanship of Tom Hazell, AO. The Association has refocussed on its primary aim of providing first aid.