Ralph Clark never thought he’d have the skills or confidence to be able to help in an emergency, until he completed the First Minutes Matter trauma training workshop.
“I got so much out of it, confidence in particular, that if I do come across some kind of emergency now, I feel confident that I do have the skills that could make a difference and even save somebody’s life.”
The South Burnett retiree is one of thousands of people now armed with critical and potentially lifesaving skills, thanks to the course designed by the medical professionals who work on board the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopters.
First Minutes Matter trauma training is a free community safety education program offered online and in-person by LifeFlight Australia’s most senior first response medical training experts.
Almost 60 in-person workshops have been hosted across Queensland since the program launched in late 2021.
“We’ve had great success with the program; we’ve far exceeded expectations in terms of workshops and online registrations, due to demand and the success and ease of the program,” says LifeFlight Paramedic and First Minutes Matter Trainer Craig Blick.
LifeFlight is returning to the region for another series of workshops.
Past workshop participant Ralph Clark is encouraging locals to sign up.
“I think it’s critical, especially for people in regional areas, to learn these skills because, I’ll put it bluntly, it can mean the difference between life and death,” he says.
“If the opportunity is there for anybody to partake in a course like this, I say grab it with both hands, sign up the moment you hear about it. It is so well worthwhile and you get so much out of it.”
The idea to create the training for the public came from aeromedical crew members, who know patient outcomes are dramatically improved by actions taken in the first minutes after an incident, before emergency crews arrive.
“As a paramedic, I understand the CBD and larger communities are well catered for in terms of paramedical response, but it is the direct opposite when we go to the remote communities,” says Craig Blick.
“So it’s really important for us to be heading out to these regional communities and educate them on what to do while they’re waiting for an ambulance, police, fire and rescue or even the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter.
“These teachings make a huge difference. The topics that we choose to teach are aimed at those real-life threats that can happen and we can teach people the basic skills, so that we can help save lives and we know that’s happening.”
During the workshops experts share knowledge for dealing with trauma incidents including seizures, choking, burns, bleeding, snake bites and cardiac events.
The next series of in-person First Minutes Matter workshops are scheduled:
Childers – 1st August
Woodgate – 2nd August
Hervey Bay – 3rd August
Gayndah – 22nd August
Biggenden – 23rd August
Maryborough – 24th August
Register at – firstminutesmatter.org.au for the workshops, or the online course.
