With over two thirds of truck drivers in Australia likely to be first responders to an accident or incident at some point in their careers, knowledge of first aid by all who operate in the industry is crucial to saving lives around the country.
It is because of this necessity that NatRoad and St John Ambulance Australia have extended their partnership to deliver its existing Truckie First Aid e-learning program in multiple languages.
The training program launched in October 2023 and has so far reached roughly 1500 truck drivers. The expansion of the program into up to seven languages has been secured through the NHVR’s HVSI funding program, which is supported by the Australian government.
The rolling out of the program in multiple language will make it easier for drivers with English as a second language to engage with the program and remove potential barriers to attempting the course.
CPR training, how to stop various types of bleeding and how to ensure an airway is open and unobstructed.
NatRoad CEO Warren Clark says knowing the basics of first aid can not only aid in creating positive outcomes for the injured party, but in the first responder’s recovery from the incident.
“As anyone who’s been a first responder knows, it can be extremely stressful,” Clark. “Knowing what to do when the time comes can improve the mental health outcomes in the aftermath of an incident.
“A recent national survey by St John found that people who had undertaken first aid training were significantly more likely to have confidence in their ability to provide care in an emergency (74 per cent) compared to those that had not undertaken first aid training (31 per cent).
“The project will be completed by the end of this year, leading to more drivers out on the road with skills such as how to perform Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), how to stop various types of bleeding, and how to ensure an airway is open and unobstructed. These three skills alone can save lives in the crucial first minutes of a vehicle crash or roadside incident and prevent irreversible damage.
“If a person is not breathing, it only takes three minutes for their brain cells to start dying. If you succeed in reopening their airway or restarting their heart, you give the emergency services valuable time to arrive and provide further care. A person can also bleed to death in less than five minutes, if the first responder doesn’t know how to stem the bleeding effectively.
“The first five minutes are critical, and the more people out on the roads with this knowledge, the better.”
Truckie first aid training takes 30-40 minutes and is available to everyone, everywhere.
It can even be completed on your phone at a rest stop.
The training is available here.
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