User:Maltesehawk/Special Rescue Group - St. Lazarus Corps

Special Rescue Group - St. Lazarus Corps 

The Special Rescue Group was founded in Malta on the 16 of June 1991. It started operating on the 1st July 1991. The Group started collaborating with the Military & Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem on the 19th November 2004. From that day onwards the group became known as the Special Rescue Group – St. Lazarus Corps.

The Group became a member of the International Green Cross Volunteers and a member of the Association of First Aiders. Its founder Field Marshal Sir David J. Zammit was given command of the Group with the assistance of Dr. John Mifsud as Surgeon General and Dr. Joe Pace as Director of training. These offices became the first Staff officers of the group. They asked to recruit a number of officers to be able to assist them in the operations of the Group. The group was founded to give help to all people without any discrimination to Sex, Religion, Nationality and Political opinions. Protecting human life, health and to ensure respect for the human being, were the main purpose of the group and thus the Motto “To Assist and Care in the Service of Mankind” was chosen. Being a voluntary movement the group is run totally by volunteers and none of the officers and members are paid.

Volunteers both male and female, offering their services with the group are given the necessary training to do their job with the section they belong.

The Group started operating by providing training in First Aid as well as providing First Aiders and Ambulance services at Public events, sports activities and to other organisations that ask for their help.

In 1995 the SRG opened another section called the Psychological Services Division. The main aim for this division was to provide psychological support to people in need. It started to operate a helpline called Nightline, where people who needed help could call in and counsellors specially trained for the purpose could offer their help free of charge.

A year later the Group started its training division with the aim of providing further courses to the general public. A number of courses were added to the First Aid that was previously taught to the General Public.

The courses provide were: Basic First Aid, Paediatric First Aid, Advanced First Aid, First Aid for new and expecting parents, First Aid at Work, Emergency procedures, Basic Life Support and use of a Defibrillator, Rescue and Abseiling

The groups started to expand by opening branches in the United States of America, Brazil, Denmark, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Every country can choose its own charitable work as long as this is approved by the Operations Command