Spot a public AED on World First Aid Day and remember Lenush’s story
Lenush Baranovschi is a St John WA First Aid trainer and learning specialist whose first aid training saved a life during a bush camping trip.
Her story can be found in St John’s Land of Legends book, which aims to inspire the next generation of first responders.
St John WA launches 15-minute online first aid courses catering to specific users like parents, teachers and sports coaches called ‘First Aid for Me’ on World First Aid Day.
The stars aligned for a St John WA cardiac arrest patient, who later enrolled in St John First Aid, after St John First Aid trainer Lenush Baranovschi’s training provided to his wife gave him a second chance at life.
If his wife, a school teacher, had not learned first aid, she may not have noticed a public Automated External Defibrillator (AED) near their camping grounds in the middle of the bush.
Nor would his wife have known the life-saving steps of DRSABCD and sent someone to retrieve the AED, which coupled with CPR, delivered the vital shock needed in the first minutes of a sudden cardiac arrest.

“We often talk about the ‘Chain of Survival’ and early identification of the situation is vital. So early recognition and call for help, early CPR and early defibrillation, and of course early post resuscitation care is critical,” Mrs Baranovschi said.
“I believe the first aid skills we teach here at St John WA are critical and can save lives.”
Sudden cardiac arrest is when someone is not responding and not breathing normally. Only one in 10 people survive sudden cardiac arrest.
First aid forms the vital first three links in the ‘Chain of Survival’ – call Triple Zero (000) for help, start bystander CPR and use an AED while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
For every one minute of delay when a casualty needs a defibrillator, the chances of survival go down by 10 per cent.
“The story gives me such a great sense of achievement,” Mrs Baranovschi said.
“I’m so glad that the wife was trained in first aid and she had the competence but also the confidence to save her husband’s life.
“All links in the Chain of Survival worked really well for this person, and therefore he lived to tell the story.”
This World First Aid Day, September 10, spot a public AED and remember Lenush’s story. (St John public defibrillators can be located using its downloadable First Responder App, which also has First Aid guides and quick access to Triple Zero (000).)
Her story was part Land of Legends, a children’s book written by local author Deb Fitzpatrick and recently launched by St John, which aims to inspire the next generation to help others in need and the importance of building strong communities.
To deliver more life-saving skills to time-poor parents, teachers and sports coaches, St John has launched ‘First Aid for Me’ – online 15-minute courses designed to target specific injuries and incidents, with sudden cardiac arrest at the forefront of all DRSABCD.
First Aid for Me can be found here.
All proceeds from Land of Legends book sales will go to St John Giving, which supports charitable works including the installation of public AEDs in remote regional communities. You can learn more at stjohnwa.com.au/legends