St John driving positivity for South West students
St John WA’s South West team is encouraging local high schools to commit to first aid training for its students ahead of the annual road crash simulation which has become a major education event in the region.
St John Regional Training and Services Coordinator Annette Mateljan said the training combined with the evocative simulation would deliver real and meaningful results.
“St John is dedicated to making first aid a part of everyone’s lives and building resilient communities,” she said.
“The best way to achieve this is to give students the opportunity to learn these important skills before they start taking driving lessons.
“We will go into the schools and provide free training in Road Trauma First Aid which includes training on how to remove a casualty with suspected spinal injuries from a car and also life saving techniques such as CPR and using a defibrillator.
”Getting the training and then coming to the road crash simulation, the students will be able to have a real understanding of the role first aid has in emergencies.”
The road crash simulation will be staged at the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre on 20 September, 2019. The event involves local paramedics, Police, DFES, the Rural Clinical School Medical students, and Health and Med students who will act as first responders in the simulated accident.
158 people died on WA roads last year, with 99 deaths in regional areas. Across the South West in the five years to 2017, 24 per cent of those killed or seriously injured in road crashes were aged 20-29.
Ms Mateljan said young people needed to understand the immediate and long-term consequences of inattention behind the wheel.
“At the simulation they will learn how easily things can go wrong when drivers become distracted and they will watch first aiders and health professionals go about looking after people that are hurt in these sorts of crashes,” Ms Mateljan said.
“By showing students what paramedics, police, firefighters and first responders see at the scene of a serious crash, we’re ultimately hoping they will make smarter decisions while driving.”
Two vehicles will be used on stage as part of the simulation, with interactive displays promoting positive road safety messages set up in the venue’s foyer.
While the simulation has been staged since 2013, this is the first time St John had offered the training to local high schools.
The event is supported by the Road Safety Commission, City of Bunbury RoadWise, Qube Ports and Bulk, RAC Western Australia, Investing in Our Youth, Industry Road Safety Alliance South West, Road Trauma Support WA and SDERA.
Please contact Annette Mateljan by no later than 30 April, 2019 as seats are limited: Annette.mateljan@stjohnambulance.com.au
