St. John Ambulance is a world-wide charitable, public service organization, which began in England in the latter part of the nineteenth century with roots reaching back over nine hundred years. All of its members, except for a small administrative staff, are volunteers.

The governing organization responsible for St. John Ambulance is THE MOST VENERABLE ORDER OF THE HOSPITAL OF ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM, more commonly known as "The Order of St. John". The Sovereign Head of the Order is Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, and the Grand Prior is, His Royal Highness Richard, Duke of Gloucester.

The Order exists in Canada as "The Priory of Canada of the Order of St. John", with the Governor-General as the Prior, and in Ontario with the Lieutenant-Governor as the Vice-Prior. The Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario is also the Honorary Provincial Commissioner of the Brigade.

The Order consists of two foundations: (1) The St. John Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem, and (2) The St. John Ambulance Association and Brigade, more often referred to as "St. John Ambulance".

History of St. John

The Order of St. John is the oldest Order of chivalry in the world.

It has its beginnings almost a thousand years ago in the year 1023, when Benedictine monks in Jerusalem, devoting themselves to the care of the sick and injured, adopted the eight-pointed white cross emblem of the republic of Amalfi as their badge.

Following the first Crusade, the monks were organized as a distinct and separate Order of Hospitallers under the leadership of one, Brother Gerard.

After acquiring a property on which had stood the ancient Monastery of St. John the Baptist, the Order adopted St. John the Baptist as it's patron saint and so took on the name of St. John.

The Order was recognized officially in 1113 and taken under the protection of the Pope.

A few years later, a body of military brethren (the Knights) was formed and the Order added the role of armed protection to its hospitaller duties.

In later years, the Order was organized according to national origin into groups known as "langues", of which there came to be eight, one for each of the points of the white cross (Provence, Auvergne, France, Italy, Aragon, Castile, England and Germany).  The "Piliers" (Pillars), together with the Bishop of the Order, the Prior, the Bailiffs and Senior Knights formed the Council or advisory body to the Grand Master.

With its first headquarters and hospital in Jerusalem, the Order has had many homes over the centuries including Acre, Cyprus, Rhodes, Malta, and finally Rome. The Order in England grew and prospered until 1540 when it was dissolved by King Henry VIII and its properties confiscated. Although reinstated by Queen Mary during the temporary return of the country to the Roman Catholic faith, the properties were once again confiscated by Queen Elizabeth I, and remained essentially dormant in England for 300 years.

The Order in England was revived in 1831 and, when negotiations with the Sovereign Order in Rome proved fruitless, was constituted as an independent Order under the British Crown. Queen Victoria granted the first Royal Charter in 1888.

The first ambulance services of the Order were organized in 1872 in the pottery and mining districts of England.

In 1877, the St. John Ambulance Association was founded to teach first aid, and in 1887, the St. John Ambulance Brigade was formed.

St. John Ophthalmic Hospital

The Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem, first opened in 1882, is now internationally renowned for its work. This eighty bed hospial, with an international medical/surgical team, treats over 50,000 patients annually in either its operating theatres or out-patient department.

Like all St. John community services, patients are treated without consideration to race, religion, or ability to pay.

Each year, St. John in Canada provides the necessary funding to send one Canadian eye surgeon and nurse to the Ophthalmic hospital for a one year term. Optical equipment and funds for special projects are also donated.

St. John Ambulance in Canada

The Priory of Canada is one of a family of more than forty Priories and Commanderies world-wide. The Order of St. John in Canada is a registered charity whose mission is to enable Canadians to improve their health, safety and quality of life by providing training and community service.

The Governor General of Canada is the Prior and Chief Officer of the Order in Canada. In each province and territory there are St. John Councils which oversee the delivery of St. John Ambulance services.

The work of St. John Ambulance in Canada is carried out by two distinct yet mutually dependent groups:

The Brigade: Today, there are more than 11, 000 uniformed volunteer Brigade members who provide first aid coverage at public events and deliver community health care services. Brigade members contribute more than 1.7 million volunteer hours to communities across Canada each year.

The Association:Is a network of medical professionals, programme development specialists and instructors who provide first aid and health promotion courses to approximately 680, 000 Canadians annually.

Canada saw the first teaching activities of the Association in 1883, with the first officially registered Brigade Division being chartered in London, Ontario in 1909.

While Christian in origin and structure, the Order today in Canada embraces people from all faiths in the humanitarian work of its Association and Brigade, and in support of the St. John Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem.

The work of St. John is open to any individual interested in carrying on the ancient values of service idealized in the motto of the Order "Pro Utilitate Hominum" (For the Service of Mankind).

Milestones In Canada

1883 First class taught and examined in Canada

1884 Association founded in Canada in Montreal

1909 First Canadian Ambulance Division formed, London, Ontario

1912 First Canadian Nursing Division formed, Toronto, Ontario

1914 Canadian Headquarters moved from Toronto to Ottawa

1933 Commandery formed in Canada

1933 First Canadian Cadet Ambulance Division formed in Manitoba

1946 Priory formed in Canada

1955 New Charter granted by Queen Elizabeth II

1963 Signing of a Concordat with the Sovereign and Military Order of Malta

1983 First National Brigade Patient Care Competition held in Ottawa

If you are interested in learning more about our founding history, consult your local library or Member Services Coordinator. Two very good publications are available: A Short History of the Order and the White Cross in Canada.

St. John Ambulance In Ontario

1983 marked the 100th year of St. John in Canada. Ontario s first recorded class was held at the Royal Military College in Kingstonin 1884.

Since then, St. John in Ontario has trained an estimated two-and-a-half million people in First Aid, CPR, and Health Care. The Brigade has helped well over three million residents of Ontario, ranging from healing blisters to saving lives.

In 1895, a Provincial Centre was opened in Toronto, which was born out of the belief of Dr. G. Sterling Ryeson for the need for First Aid training due to his experience as an army doctor during the Riel Rebellion. Early Branches were established in Peterborough, Brantford, Berlin (now Kitchener), London, Stratford and Sault Ste. Marie.

Today, Branches of St. John Ambulance exist throughout the province, and as a general rule, are designated by the name of the municipality in which it is situated. In many instances, the boundaries may be similar to the territory covered by the local United Way. These Branches act as the corporate Board of Directors for overseeing the work of St. John Ambulance, including administering United Way operating grants and general fund raising to support its community services.

Where Branches co-exist with Brigade units, it is the responsibility of the Branch to provide, at no cost to Brigade members: administrative assistance, accommodation for meetings, etc., publicity, first aid supplies, uniforms, vehicles and training.

St. John volunteers began their public service during the 1880 s, looking after people at Queen Victoria s Diamond Jubilee celebrations and at the opening of the Grand Trunk Railway in Niagara Falls. The first uniformed volunteer Brigade Unit was formed in London in 1909. It is interesting to note that one of their first duties was one the Brigade still does today -- providing first aid coverage at the Western Fair in London.

There are now some 160 Divisions in Ontario. Members of the Brigade are woven into the lives of their communities in countless ways, serving at local events and in time of disaster.

St. John Ambulance is part of emergency plans in towns and cities throughout the Province. For almost 100 years, St. John volunteers have responded quickly and with courage to calls for help. They have been on hand in the aftermath of airplane crashes, tornadoes, ship fires, hurricanes, rail accidents, chemical spills and assisted at evacuations.

Milestones In Ontario

1884 First recorded First Aid class conducted at the Royal Military College in Kingston

1895 The Hon. Sir George A. Kirkpatrick is appointed President of the Ontario Provincial Centre

1909 The first Ambulance Division is formed in Canada - #1 London (Forest City)

1912 The first Nursing Division is formed in Canada - #1 Toronto (Central)

1912 Charles J. Copp is appointed the first Ontario Provincial Commissioner

1918 St. John Ambulance helps organize voluntary effort during Spanish flu epidemic

1940 Over 1,000 women volunteer to join the VAD

1945 There are 52 Ambulance and Nursing Divisions and 22 Cadet Divisions

1945 Brigade members serve in shifts of 24 hours per day for three days during the Windsor tornado

1945 Brigade members rescue 150 injured from the water after the cruise ship Hamonic catches fire

1945 Brigade members tend the injured after a Port Arthur (Thunder Bay) grain elevator blows up

1949 Brigade members tend the injured after cruise ship Noronic catches fire (Toronto)

1954 Brigade members work with police controlling traffic and checking looting and assist with the transport of dead and injured after Hurricane Hazel

1979 Brigade members operate evacuation centres and assist in evacuating hospitals and nursing homes during the Mississauga train derailment; Canada s worst peace time evacuation

1985 Brigade members work with other emergency services to rescue people after hurricane hits Barrie

1992 Therapy Dog Program introduced in Peterborough

1994 First Brigade Therapy Dog Division formed in Norwood

St. John Ambulance Programs

In Ontario, St. John Ambulance offers a wide range of courses and programs: