THE EDITOR, Sir:
AS ONE way of expressing our eternal gratitude to them, we ask that you permit us to use your pages to recount a life-saving act performed by a group of soldiers of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) at their Newcastle Training Depot on Sunday, September 8, 2002.
Members of the Caribbean District of Optimist International who attended a convention in Kingston last weekend, wrapped up the meeting on Sunday afternoon with a picnic at Hollywell in the hills of St. Andrew.
In the midst of our party, one of the group fell ill with what was apparently an attack of asthma and we had to try to 'rush' her off the hill. We who were with her in the car tried not to panic when her breathing became more and more laboured, but the thought of the University Hospital of the West Indies still being such a long way off made us feel more than uncomfortable.
Newcastle was coming up and we knew we had to seek help there. When the soldiers saw the situation, their 'medic' went into action immediately. As many as five times our colleague's breathing stopped and each time the soldiers revived her.
But we had to get her to hospital. That became more imperative with each passing moment. We had a real emergency on our hands. And so these good guys of the army summoned a JDF helicopter and it arrived at Newcastle in short shrift. The patient was airlifted to the UHWI.
There is no doubt in our minds that this group of soldiers at Newcastle led by Sergeant Clifford Jenkins, the 'medic,' Privates Clive Gordon and Sean Bennett and the rest including some recruits, saved the life our Optimist Club member.
If we had any doubts before, we now know of what value our army people can be firsthand.
They came to our assistance Sir, without question, as if we were their own. For this, our colleague, her family as well as the outgoing Governor, Dr. Carol Jacobs Haynes, the in-coming Governor, David Garel and every other member of the Caribbean District of Optimist International wish to say to them that we will forever be in their debt.
I am, etc.,
GRANVILLE NEWELL
Caribbean District of Optimist International
C/O The Office of the Prime Minister
1 Devon Road
P.O. Box 272
Kingston 6
