By Lucy Waldron
LifeFlight is offering its “First Minutes Matter“ program to the Southern Downs. The free trauma training initiative aims to equip communities with essential skills to handle time-critical medical emergencies until professional help arrives.
Drawing on LifeFlight’s extensive aeromedical experience, the program offers both online and in-person one-day workshops led by LifeFlight’s seasoned training team.
In the Darling Downs and Southwest Region, LifeFlight Medical Educator Leah Harrison is spearheading the program. With over 20 years of experience as an emergency nurse,
Ms Harrison recognises the importance of knowing how to act in a medical emergency before help arrives.
“The most important benefit of this program is being able to help people in the first stages of their accident or medical emergency,“ she said.
Participants will learn practical techniques for managing burns, snake bites, cardiac events, seizures, choking, and bleeding. The goal is to enhance patient outcomes by imparting vital skills that can save lives in the crucial first minutes after a trauma incident.
“It’s important for everyone to know skills that can save a life while waiting for specialist care, especially in rural communities where medical response times can be longer,“ Ms Harrison said.
The skills taught in this program are particularly vital in rural areas where road and farming accidents are more common. Residents of regional areas and smaller towns often face longer wait times for medical response, making it crucial for them to manage medical emergencies safely until help arrives.
Feedback from those who have completed the course has been overwhelmingly positive. Participants appreciate the practical, easy-to-follow information and feel more confident in their ability to respond to emergencies.
One grandparent noted, “I feel more confident that I would know what to do if my grandchild was choking or had a seizure.“
Another participant, who frequently travels, commented, “I feel like I could assist more at an accident if need be.“
The upcoming session in Warwick will be held at St. Mark’s Anglican Church Hall, 55 Albion Street, on 26 June from 9.30am to 3.00pm. An online version of the course is also available for those unable to attend in person.
Interested individuals can register for either the face-to-face session or the online course at firstminutesmatter.org.au. For further inquiries, email firstminutesmatter@lifeflight.org.au.
