Celebrating Success: Over 120 local ‘Bush Kids’ empowered through first aid program

• Over 120 local children have accessed introductory first aid training through Council’s Bush Kids First Aid program
• Each two-hour session covered key first aid skills such as treating snake and spider bites, how to call 000 in an emergency and dressing wounds
• Council has sourced external funding to source these programs and is currently developing a schedule of activities for the first half of 2024

Goondiwindi Regional Council hosted four ‘Bush Kids’ First Aid workshops this week (13 and 14 December), which saw more than 120 of the region’s youngest residents, aged 5-13 years, enthusiastically participate, gaining invaluable first aid skills tailored to rural living.

As part of Council’s ongoing commitment to natural disaster preparedness and resilience, the workshops were held in Goondiwindi, Yelarbon and Texas.

Honourable Cr Lawrence Springborg AM, the Mayor of the Goondiwindi Region, extends heartfelt congratulations to all the 'bush kids' and their families who embraced this unique opportunity to instil essential life-saving skills.

"I commend our young residents for seizing the chance to learn the principles of basic first aid. These skills are not only crucial in rural and remote areas where time is of the essence but also contribute significantly to building resilience in our rural families," he said.

The workshops, which were facilitated by Cool Kids First Aid, provided hands-on age-appropriate learning experiences. Each two-hour session covered emergency management and essential first aid skills, with specific focus of treating snake and spider bites, how to call 000 in an emergency and dressing wounds.

All participants also received their very own snake bite kits and emergency magnets to take home with them.

The success of the Bush Kids First Aid series adds another milestone to Council’s roster of community resilience and connectedness activities that have occurred this year. These initiatives, including Resilient Gardens Day, Volunteer Week events, Equine First Aid workshops and Generating Income for Community Groups workshops, all collectively contribute to the empowerment and wellbeing of the entire community.

Council has sourced disaster related external funding to deliver these programs and is currently developing a schedule of activities for the first half of 2024 for the remainder of funding. Residents are encouraged to keep checking in on Council’s Facebook page for workshops like this, and more.