Learning basic first aid skills has the potential to stop a minor mishap from becoming something much worse.
It’s why HIF is proud to be extending its partnership with St John WA to support delivery of their First Aid Focus program.
St John WA’s First Aid Focus program aims to train and equip students from kindergarten up to year 12 with the age-appropriate skills to assess and respond to first aid situations while developing strategies to seek help for themselves or others.
Last year, HIF made a $15,000 donation to St John WA, resulting in more than 3000 students from seven Perth schools, including South Halls Head Primary School, Pioneer Village School in Armadale and North Balga Primary School, benefiting from first aid training.
HIF Chief Executive Officer Justin James said HIF’s support for the program will continue for a further 12 months, meaning more first aid training to more schools across the WA community in 2024.
“You never know when someone around you may experience a medical episode,” Mr James said.
“We want to ensure as many young people as possible have the opportunity to learn these valuable skills and feel confident they know what to do in a potentially life-threatening situation.”
St John WA CEO Kevin Brown welcomed the partnership which had entered its third year.
“HIF is a founding partner of St John WA’s charitable work, which focuses on supporting disadvantaged communities and people by equipping them with the tools to build health and wellbeing resilience,” Mr Brown said.
“Together we have partnered to ensure those needing to get to medical appointments have safe transportation no matter their location and children have the skills to save a life if there isn’t an adult to help.”
St John WA Chief Preventative Officer Megs O’Donnell said every child should have access to vital first aid knowledge and delivering to Western Australian schools has already proven lifesaving.
“About one Western Australian child calls Triple Zero (000) for their parent or carer each month, meaning the educational program can be the difference between life and death,” Ms O’Donnell said.
“Only in July, eight-year-old Tia Cummins within hours of learning first aid St John WA’s First Aid Focus program at her Swan View school helped her 15-year-old sister Tia, who suffered a seizure.
“She had the confidence to roll her sister over, check her breathing and contact ambulance, with a positive outcome for her sister.”
The partnership began with the launch of the Bunbury Community Transport Service, which delivers reliable and affordable transportation to patients who need assistance travelling to and from hospital and specialist appointments.
The service is now offered across Perth, Goldfields, Great Southern, Wheatbelt, the South West and Northam.
HIF’s partnership helps St John WA to create stronger, more resilient communities, while providing better access to high quality healthcare for HIF members.
For more information about HIF’s partnership with St John Giving, click here.
To learn more about First Aid Focus, click here.