St John Association of Jamaica

Who we are

St John was established in Jamaica in 1899.  During the Second World War, St John members performed duties at the refugee and internment camp at Mona and at Kingston Public Hospital.  St John have also rescued and cared for the sick, injured and homeless victims of hurricanes and other natural disasters.  

Jamaica at a glance

Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles and the third largest Caribbean island.  It lies in the Caribbean Sea east of the Central American mainland, south of Cuba, and west of the island of Hispaniola. The indigenous Arawak inhabitants named the island Xaymaca, meaning either the "Land of Springs," or the "Land of Wood and Water." Formerly a Spanish possession known as Santiago, it later became the British West Indies Crown colony of Jamaica.

Most major towns and cities are located on the coast. The capital is Kingston.

Major sectors of the Jamaican economy include agriculture, mining, manufacturing, tourism and financial and insurance services. Tourism and mining are the leading foreign exchange earners.

What we do

Public Duties: St John is present at all major sporting events including horse-racing, football, cricket and tennis tournaments, international conferences and elsewhere where crowds assemble for royal visits, national parades, carnivals and military occasions.

First Aid Training: Students from a wide variety of organisations attend SJA courses including those from the bauxite companies, other commercial and industrial companies, schools, hotels, sports clubs, banks, churches, junior doctors and nurses from hospitals, youth clubs, the police, military, fire brigade, the airport authority and airlines.

Care in the Commuinity: Care for the elderly and young children is provided by St John in Allman Town, a deprived suburb of Kingston.