News

Every second counts in an emergency

By Corowa Free Press

Oct 28, 2026

Careflight provides first responders with vital skills that can be the difference between life and death in the first few minutes after an incident.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), about 15,800 injury-related deaths happen each year, driven mainly by accidental falls in older people and severe road incidents.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

Injury is the leading cause of death for Australians aged one to 44.

On Sunday, November 8, Careflight will run a free trauma care workshop at the Rutherglen SES Unit on Murphy St to equip participants will the skills to help save lives.

The workshop is delivered by experienced paramedics and nurses and covers everything from patient triage to managing complex injuries, and conducting effective handovers to medical professionals.

Emergencies often push local health services to their limits, and the first people on the scene are frequently community members.

CareFlight’s workshops offer hands-on, scenario-based trauma care training using lifelike medical mannequins and simulated accident scenes.

The sessions equip participants with lifesaving skills and enhance their leadership, teamwork, situational awareness and communication, essential capabilities for effective emergency response.

Careflight’s head of operations, education and training, Margarita Obeid said when a medical emergency happens, help can sometimes be hours away, especially in rural and remote communities.

“Often the people who first find themselves at the scene will be a local teacher, farmer, mechanic or another community member,” Ms Obeid said.

“It is in these situations the first responders need to know how to sustain a life.

“That’s why we’re committed to equipping everyday Australians with skills that will allow them to provide care before professional help arrives.

“The action taken in the first few minutes can mean the difference between life and death, with appropriate treatment during this time significantly improving the final outcome of the patient.”

Since 2011, CareFlight has delivered thousands of workshops helping participants learn essential skills required to handle medical emergencies.

The not-for-profit organisation was founded in 1986 as an aeromedical charity with the mission to save lives, speed recovery and serve the community.

Today, they deliver services nationally, providing advanced trauma treatment and critical medical care to seriously ill and injured patients as quickly as possible to give them the greatest chance of recovery so they can resume their lives.