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Ambulance Stores Depot, New Delhi, which also stocks First Aid outfits,
physiological diagrams, stretchers, splints, and bandages, etc.

     2. Recently text-books on air raid precautions and anti-gas measures
have been added to the stock as also demonstration respirators. It is pro-
posed to start classes in air raid precautions.

     First aid Road Stations.—In Calcutta the Bengal Centre has
organised two First Aid Road Stations, which render First Aid on the
spot to road casualties and treat a large number annually. Gwalior State
Centre has also established similar Road First Aid Stations, and in the
Punjab, they are being set up gradually along the Grand Trunk
Road. A comprehensive scheme for First Aid on Highways has been
drawn up by the Indian Red Cross Society, in which the Association is
co-operating closely. In the Central Provinces fifty such First Aid Posts
are already functioning and 339 persons received treatment at these Posts
during 1936.

     Ambulance Competitions.—All-India Ambulance Competitions are
organised by the Indian Council every alternate year at the headquarters
of Provincial Centres by rotation. These Competitions increase efficiency
and put to test the training received. There are 14 handsome trophies for
competition, and as many as 60 or 70 teams from all over India usually
take part in it. In addition, Provincial, State and Railway Centres usually
organise their own local competitions, for which a number of trophies have
also been presented.

     St. John Ambulance Brigade Overseas.—The St. John Ambulance
Brigade Overseas is a uniformed, disciplined body of men and women,
all of whom are holders of First Aid or Home Nursing certificates. They
meet together regularly for practice, are inspected annually and undertake
to turn out for public duty whenever required.

     2. At the end of 1936, the Brigade in India consisted of 77 Ambulance
Divisions, 15 Nursing Divisions and 23 Cadet Divisions (boys and girls),
with a total membership of over 3,000. These Divisions render First Aid
at sports meetings, pilgrimages, fairs and so on, and some of them possess
their own Motor Ambulances to transport the sick and injured to hospital,
a service which is much appreciated. At times of special emergencies they
turn out promptly and remain on duty so long as they are required. Some
of the recent occasions when Brigade members rendered valuable service
are the Bihar earthquake of 1934, when Calcutta members established a
camp at Monghyr, the Quetta earthquake of 1935, when Lahore members
living in railway trucks at the Quetta Station gave valuable help to the
stricken hospitals, the Bombay Riots in successive years, where the Parsi
Ambulance Division earned the warm appreciation of the Government of
Bombay, and in the recent Bihta railway disaster, when members of the
East Indian Railway Nursing Division at Dinapore gave prompt assistance.

     3. The Brigade in India is commanded by Sir Ernest Burdon, K.C.I.E.,
C.S.I., I.C.S., Chief Commissioner for the Empire of India. Under him
there are 8 Districts, of which Bengal, numerically the most important, is
commanded by a Commissioner, and the others by Assistant Commissioners.

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