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Australia’s most remote Indigenous community has received its first public defibrillator during a visit from a St John WA (SJWA) volunteer.   Teacher and SJWA Dawesville volunteer Jade Maitland-Smith delivered the automated external defibrillator (AED) to Kiwirrkurra last month.   Kiwirrkurra is nestled deep in the Gibson Desert on Pintupi country, about 1200km east of Port Hedland…

Vulnerable Boyup Brook residents can have a key lock box installed at their home for free thanks to a community initiative spearheaded by local St John WA (SJWA) volunteers.     The team at the SJWA Boyup Brook Sub Centre has rallied several local businesses to help fund the program, which has already seen nine key lock…

Generous community donations have funded six new life-saving defibrillators to be installed along the Denmark coast in memory of beloved Perth father Andy Rutherford.  Andy, 48, died of cardiac arrest after collapsing on a beach at Denmark’s Elephant Rocks in April 2023. Despite the best efforts of his first aid-trained mates who performed CPR, the…

The St John WA (SJWA) Wyndham team is sporting vibrant new training shirts showcasing the creativity of a talented local artist.    The artwork features barramundi swimming in the blue water holes and rivers of the stunning East Kimberley region.    It was created by proud Balanggarra and Gidja woman Khandice French in tribute to…

Students in some of Western Australia’s most remote areas have taken part in a ‘health literacy’ event organised by a pair of St John WA legends from Leonora. Community paramedic Dave Kennedy and Leonora Sub Centre chair Lupe Tavake wanted to create a holistic experience for local children focusing on various aspects of health, from…

Emergency services took centre stage at Optus Stadium on Sunday at the Fremantle Dockers’ Lights and Sirens Round.   St John WA (SJWA) joined the fun for the first time this year, sharing the spotlight with fellow everyday heroes from WA Police and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services.  The game was an opportunity…

South West local Mark was cycling more than 600km a week before his heart suddenly stopped beating.   The cycling fanatic was on the second grueling day of the Tour of Margaret River team race in November 2020 when his life changed in an instant.  “I must’ve known something was wrong because I yelled out –…

St John WA’s commitment to excellence in Patient Care, Staff Development, Mental Health and Wellbeing, and Leadership has seen four projects for each of these categories recognised at the upcoming Council of Ambulance Authorities (CAA) 2024 Awards for Excellence. With a record number of award nominations for the organisation in recent history, St John WA…

Five deserving scholarship recipients are set to continue the legacies of fallen St John WA team members Fiona Lavelle and Tinesh Tamilkodi.   The Fiona Lavelle and Tinesh Tamilkodi Memorial Scholarships were created by SJWA and their families to honour the dedicated paramedics’ shared passion for lifelong learning and service to humanity.   The scholarships…

Western Australian grain growers have once again demonstrated their unwavering support for local charities – including St John WA – with a remarkable $340,000 donation derived from 800 tonnes of grain voluntarily forfeited during the 2023/24 CBH harvest.  Proceeds generated through the sale of forfeited grain, via the 2023/24 Harvest Mass Management Scheme (HMMS), have…