Community
17 April, 2025
Learning life-saving skills from experts
CAMPERDOWN’S State Emergency Services (SES) facility recently played host to a special workshop to hone the first aid and trauma skills of emergency service volunteers.
Camperdown-based ambulance community officers and SES and Country Fire Authority (CFA) volunteers participated in the workshop, which provided a mix of theory-based and simulation-based teachings.
The CareFlight Trauma Care Workshop, which has been running since 2011, allows volunteers to learn about:
Airway management;
Haemorrhage control;
Spinal precautions and manual handling safety;
Equipment removal (e.g. helmet) and when to remove;
Crush injuries;
Stabilisation and safe extraction of patients from confined spaces;
Patient assessment;
Hand-over techniques to medical professionals; and
Mass casualty events.
CareFlight head of operations – education and training Lara Miller said the workshops aim to teach participants the essential skills required to handle medical emergencies before professional help arrives on scene.
“Our Trauma Care Workshop is a mobile, national training initiative that combines theoretical and simulation-based training,” she said.
“It equips the potential first responders from urban, rural and remote communities with the necessary skills to save lives and speed up recovery after a trauma accident.
“Participants are trained by CareFlight’s expert clinicians with the goal of improving the chain of care by increasing the capability of those who are likely to be first on scene so injured patients receive effective, evidence-based care much closer to the time of injury.”
Organiser Leigh Harry said he found out about the workshop last year.
“I’m a CFA volunteer in Chocolyn as well as an ambulance community officer (ACO) at the Camperdown branch, and I thought the training might be something of interest and be of value to my fellow ACOs – we support the paramedics around the area – as well as in particular the SES volunteers and the CFA,” he said.
“I approached them late last year to see if they were interested in running a workshop locally.
“They’re Sydney-based, so they asked me for assistance in organizing it.
“I reached out to the local ACOs, CFA and SES people, and we had 20 people registered for the workshop on Saturday.
“It was quite an informative day – it was about what you could do to help keep someone alive if there’s been an incident until the professionals arrive in your role as an ACO, SES member, CFA member, or a general member of public.”
Mr Harry said the workshop was well-attended.
“I was impressed by the fact that we had 20 local volunteers who were interested enough to give up their day to learn and improve their skills which really demonstrates their interest, want and intent to support the local community the best they can in their various roles,” he said.
“The feedback afterwards was particularly strong.
“Everyone was really impressed – the educators from New South Wales and Queensland were emergency department nurses with extensive backgrounds in emergency treatment in hospital and in the field.”
Ms Miller said CareFlight was “thrilled” to hold the workshop in Camperdown.
“Each person that attended was eager to participate and we know they’re walking away more confident and armed with the skills required to act if they’re a first responder at an incident,” she said.
“When a medical emergency happens, help can sometimes be hours away especially in rural and remote areas.
“Our Trauma Care Workshops are all about equipping everyday Australians and professionals who are likely to be the first on scene with skills that will help them save lives.
“The action taken in the first few minutes can mean the difference between life and death but only if individuals feel prepared and confident to step in.
“We want participants to finish a session and feel empowered to act if they are first on scene to an incident.”
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