CESV help the Tatlisu Ambulance Service
By Claire Lamb
Tatlisu is in the midst of exciting times! We now have an ambulance and ambulance station based here to cover the surrounding areas. As it can take up to 45 minutes to reach Girne State Hospital it is an absolute boon to the people who live in and around the Tatlisu area and something that has been on our wish list for quite some time.
Bob and I decided to go along to introduce ourselves and represent the CESV (Civil Emergency Service Volunteers), who work so closely with the emergency services – and to do a little fact finding!
The ambulance came out of retirement and started work on 3rd June 2014 and on the 1st day the crew received FIVE call outs. Three of which were transported to Gazimagusa and two to Girne. Luckily things have calmed down for the men and women who comprise the crews. There are 3 drivers and
5 medical crew members who take it in turns of one driver and one qualified staff to work long shifts to keep the area covered. In just over five weeks the ambulance has been called out to 21 incidents including road traffic accidents, general medical problems and trauma injuries.
We spoke to Dağhan Aylanç, a qualified paramedic on the team, about how the system works. They receive a call out from the central switchboard in Lefkosa giving them details of the incident and the location then it is all systems go. Once the crew have stabilised the casualty they then decide which hospital they should be transported to. Although Girne is closer, Gazimagusa is often quicker as there is less of a problem with traffic.
During our visits we delivered some items donated by the CESV bought with previously raised funds. We have been 
working closely with Ezer and Gülderen Ertaç of Ertaç Kardeşler Ltd, Gazimagusa to produce affordable straps to secure a casualty to a spine board and ‘frac pacs’, which are used to secure a broken limb in comfort and safety. These lovely people and their hard working staff came up with the perfect items and as they were being bought by funds raised by the CESV and being given to ambulance staff throughout the state hospitals here in North Cyprus they gave us a generous discount. We took sets of the straps and pacs to the ambulance crew at Tatlisu who were delighted, especially with the new design of the straps which are easy and convenient to use yet very secure.
The Mayor of Tatlisu, Hayri Orçan came along to the meeting to give his support so we asked if they had a “wish list” for items to be used on the ambulance. We then told them about our planned fund raiser to be held at Ne&Şe Restaurant. Salih Bilal and his lovely wife Melike are providing meze, main course and Turkish dessert for 30tl – 5tl from the cost of each meal will be donated to the ambulance fund. Of course, if people wish to donate more then they are welcome to do so! Some of the items requested were burns packs, lockable sharps bins and a portable sterilizing unit. Maybe if we raise enough funds we can put the extra towards funding a new ambulance so this one can be put back into retirement!
