St John Ambulance and the Tourni-key

As part of an enhancement of capability, St John Ambulance volunteers are being trained in the use of Tourni-Keys when they complete ‘return to role’ training, in line with the charity increasing first aid provision as COVID-19 restrictions ease.

Chair and co-founder of citizenAID, Mr Andrew Thurgood said: “This collaboration between the two charities is a significant milestone in citizenAID’s short history. There is real synergy in what we are doing here, the ability to work with a large and influential international organisation such as St John Ambulance allows us to spread our simple public messaging further on how to save lives."

“It is hugely exciting to see St John Ambulance volunteers training to use the Tourni-key. We are very grateful for the support of St John Ambulance, as without their shared vision, we would not have reached this historically important point.”

Major General Tim Hodgetts, co-founder of citizenAID and the UK Surgeon General, gave detailed evidence at the Manchester Arena Inquiry of the value of publicly delivered life-saving interventions in a multiple casualty incident.

He said, “The award-winning citizenAID system, presented in an app and pocket guide, [including the use of a tourniquet for life threatening limb bleeding uncontrolled by simple measures such as direct pressure] has learned from military medical experience that empowers soldiers to save lives when providing first aid to those injured by blast, gunshot or blunt trauma, and has contextualised this for use in the civilian setting."

The two charities’ collaboration was first announced at the Trauma Care Conference in March 2020.