Practical First Aid instruction to stabilise an injured arm. Photo from a previous training session.
The Queensland Trucking Association (QTA) is facilitating free remote incident training sessions at various locations around Queensland this year.
The First on Scene Remote Incident Training sessions are designed for heavy vehicle drivers who travel on rural and remote roads in Queensland, and want to increase their skills, knowledge and capability to safely manage a vehicle accident.
The sessions commenced in May with courses in Brisbane, Oakey and Toowoomba. Upcoming courses are being held in Rockhampton and Gladstone on June 19, Mackay on July 10, and Townsville on October 16-17.
“The number of drivers who have been in a first on scene situation is quite alarming which reinforces the importance of this training,” said Lisa Fraser, QTA’s membership service manager.
“There is also a big focus on getting support and looking after their mental health and well-being post incident. Many drivers have reported that the after effects of being involved in an incident can have a detrimental impact on their mental health.
“The training has attracted interest from drivers from a range of sectors and feedback has been positive in terms of relevancy of content and also the quality of the presenters who are able to share their own first on scene personal experiences.”
The course has been specifically designed for truck drivers by expert trainers with input from drivers and fleet owners, and is delivered face-to-face by Queensland Police, Queensland Ambulance Service and St John Ambulance.
A misconception among many is that first responders are open to legal action if the care they provide is proven inappropriate.
However, the QTA notes that Australia has Good Samaritan laws in place to offer legal protection to inexperienced first responders who step up to give reasonable emergency assistance to those who are injured or in danger. These laws are intended to reduce bystanders’ hesitation to assist those in need, by providing protection to those who act in good faith.
“There are no legal implications for rendering assistance if first on scene,” Fraser said.
“The ‘Protection for Good Samaritans under the Civil Liability (Good Samaritan) Amendment Bill 2007 (Qld)’ allows people to come to the assistance of persons in distress without the fear of being sued because something goes wrong. This protection exists around Australia.”
Participants attending these training sessions will learn a variety of skills including how to keep a clear head in emergency situations, what to look out for to avoid danger, how to access emergency services in limited-service areas, basic First Aid and how to ensure the scene is as safe as possible for the victim(s), responders and passers-by.
The course includes:
- immediate safety and scene considerations and awareness (including powerline safety, dangerous goods awareness)
- accident location and communication tools and strategies
- specialist road crash accident and management awareness including:
– emergency First Aid response instruction
– stop the bleed instruction - a certificate of completion.
Participants also learn which apps to download to allow them to communicate location information to emergency services.
Griffith University is currently conducting a research on the effectiveness of the program.
The training sessions are completely free of cost.
Interested drivers can register through the QTA website and employers can make direct contact with the QTA office on 07 3394 4388 to discuss having a course for their drivers.