Liam’s commitment to the community
Date Posted: Wednesday, May 02, 2007Author: Christen Pears
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At a time when most people his age are spending their free time partying and enjoying themselves, Liam Anderson devotes hours to serving his community. The 22-year-old statistician is a volunteer with the St John Ambulance Brigade and was recently recognized for his efforts when he won CableVision’s quarterly Community Service Award.
“Liam embodies all that a young, successful Bermudian should be. He is generous with his time, committed to his community and dedicated to his professional and personal goals,” said Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs Phil Perinchief at the awards ceremony. Meanwhile, Neletha Butterfield, Minister of the Environment, Telecommunications and E-Commerce, compared Liam’s commitment to the community to that of the late Dr Roosevelt Brown.
Liam graduated from Acadia University in Nova Scotia, Canada, with a degree in Mathematics, Statistics and Economics. He currently works as a statistical officer with the Department of Statistics and has been a volunteer with St John Ambulance Brigade since the summer of 2002.
He says: “My brother used to work at the hospital and I developed an interest in emergency vehicles then. Working with St John Ambulance gave me a chance to do something for the community while still having full-time job.”
Liam volunteers for an average of 11 hours a week and currently serves as quartermaster. He is responsible for ensuring there are sufficient supplies for the ambulances and first aid bags, and maintains a full inventory for ordering purposes. He also serves as a qualified medical first responder when the brigade attends public events. Coincidentally, the first person he treated was his own cousin, who was suffering from dehydration during a road race in St George’s.
His next project will be learning how to drive the ambulances – something he says he’s been looking forward to since joining the corps. The first step is to get a truck licence and then take an advanced driving course.
“I can’t wait to get started. I love working with the ambulance,” he says. He began his service with the Bermuda Regiment in January this year after serving with the Bermuda Cadet Corps for almost 10 years. Despite the increased demands on his time, he still manages to volunteer and is motivated by a strong sense of community.
“I have a strong sense of national pride. For me it’s a lot about giving back to country and my community,” he explains.
Liam knows he could be called on to use his skills at any time and always carries first aid equipment with him in his car. This is something he had done since he found himself at the scene of a road traffic accident. He was the only first aider but didn’t have any equipment. Unfortunately, the victim was already dead but since then Liam has always been prepared in case he has to help.
A modest young man, Liam says the CableVision Community Service Award came as a surprise to him. “It just came out of the blue. It’s always good when people notice you but volunteering is something you do for others and you don’t expect to be recognized. There are hundreds of people who volunteer in Bermuda who haven’t been recognized and their work is just as important.”
About St John Ambulance Brigade
St John Ambulance Brigade dates back to 11th century Jerusalem where a group of Benedictine monks set up a small hospital to care for weak and ill pilgrims who had travelled thousands of miles to the holy city. The hospital became so successful that in 1113 the Pope created a new Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem. The order was driven out of Jerusalem during the Crusades but continued to care for the sick and injured throughout Europe. I
in its current form, St John Ambulance Brigade has branches in more than 40 countries. Its aim is to provide first aid to everyone who needs it. St John Ambulance has been in Bermuda since 1894. Volunteers on the island give more than 4,000 man hours to the charity each year, attending more than 300 events such as Cup Match and Bermuda Day. The brigade operates three ambulances for emergency response and transport, as well as a mobile clinic, which focuses on health promotion. The organisation also provides CPR and first aid courses to members of the public.
For more information about St John Ambulance Brigade visit the website at http://www.sja.org.bm/