First Aid

Below is the Certified First Aid Training available to youth and leaders. The St John Ambulance volunteer trainers teaching these courses are often also Leaders with either the Scout or Guide Associations with representatives from Sydney North, South Metropolitan, and Greater Western Sydney Regions.

The First Aid courses are generally conducted at Barra Brui Scout Activities Centre (off Hunter Street) in St Ives and also at Kingsgrove Scout Hall.

The First Aid Team members also act as first aiders at many Region and State events, and always welcome new team members, whether to become a trainer or to assist as first aiders at events.


Download the courses overview for 2023 here

For more information on the courses and becoming a First Aider:

Remember to support the team that supports your Scout events.

Scouts Only First Aid Courses – Barra Brui (St Ives)

This course will not be open to members of the public – only Youth and Adult Members of Scouts NSW or approved parent helpers.

Under 18 First Aid Courses – Kingsgrove

  • Provide First Aid HLTAID011 – Course Cost $93 at Kingsgrove,
  • Course numbers are currently limited to 18 participants.
  • If any courses cannot run due to public health orders and St John Ambulance restrictions, they will be re-scheduled where possible.

Bookings

To Book all Kingsgrove first aid courses – Email michael.turner@stjohnnsw.com.au or helen.young@stjohnnsw.com.au

Payment must be made at time of booking.

For additional information email – outdoor.division@stjohnnsw.com.au

Costs are as follows:

  • Emergency First Aid or Basic Emergency Life Support $63 
  • Provide First Aid $93
  • Prices for other courses on inquiry – Remote First Aid, Advanced First Aid, Advanced Resuscitation, Provide Pain Management 

Over 18 First Aid Courses

Provide First Aid (1 day) and Remote First Aid (3 days)

This training will ONLY be available for participants over 18

The Provide First Aid course covers a broad range of topics to enable participants to confidently manage emergency situations and provide a first aid response to a casualty. It is suitable for both people in workplaces and members of the public who want training in first aid. The Provide First Aid courses detailed below cover all the normal content, but with an outdoors slant. The course accredits participants in the HLTAID011 “Provide First Aid” unit of competency. St John Ambulance runs standard first aid courses at locations throughout NSW.

Alternatively, bushwalkers who attend an additional two days can gain a St John Ambulance Remote First Aid certificate. The course accredits participants in the HLTAID013 “Provide first aid in remote or isolated situations” unit of competency.

Note: the St John Ambulance Remote First Aid course is not the same as the BSAR Remote Area First Aid courses that BSAR previously ran before it joined with NSW SES.

St John NSW offers all accredited training in partnership with St John Ambulance Australia Inc. (RTO 88041)

Provide First Aid (HLTAID011)

This training will ONLY be available for participants over 18

Provide First Aid is a comprehensive course that will give you the knowledge, skills and confidence to help an ill or injured person until emergency help arrives. You will learn the DRSABCD action plan as well as resuscitation (Including defibrillation), asthma, anaphylaxis and the management of various injuries and illnesses. This course is for those who are confident in their skills and want to gain their certification quickly. It is appropriate for experienced first aiders and people who complete their training regularly. 

Course duration – one day (with pre-work)

Students complete an e-learning module and one day of face-to-face of practice and assessment.

Participants are required to undertake online e-learning module prior to attending the face to face workshop for practice and assessment. The online theory component must be completed prior to the day. Click here. This content will be in the theory assessment on the face-to-face day. For other important information and other training related FAQ please click here

Course Outline

This course covers:

  • Roles and responsibilities of the first aider
  • The DRSABCD action plan and responding to emergency situations
  • Managing unconscious casualties
  • Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
  • Using a defibrillator (AED)
  • Legal issues in first aid
  • Infection control
  • Diabetes
  • Heart attack
  • Asthma
  • Anaphylaxis
  • Wound and bleeding management
  • Burns
  • Fractures and dislocations
  • Sprains and strains
  • Head and facial injuries
  • Spinal injuries
  • Medical emergencies
  • Choking
  • Abdominal and chest injuries
  • Heat and cold induced conditions
  • Poisoning management
  • Bites and stings
  • Stroke

Assessment Methods

A successful outcome for this statement of attainment will be determined by a range of different methods including written assessment, observation of simulated and practical activities etc. You will be required to demonstrate CPR on a manikin on the floor.

Entry Requirements/Prerequisites

There are no entry requirements or prerequisites to undertake this training.

This training will ONLY be available for participants over 18.

Participants with a language or literacy difficulty or other special needs should inform St John Ambulance at the time of booking, and/or the trainer so that appropriate assistance can be provided.

St John NSW offers all accredited training in partnership with St John Ambulance Australia Inc. (RTO 88041)

Provide First Aid in Remote or Isolated Situation (HLTAID013)

This training will ONLY be available for participants over 18

This remote area first aid course is specifically designed to meet the first aid needs of bushwalkers, wilderness guides, and people who work or live in remote locations. The course covers everything from comprehensive first aid treatments to aeromedical evacuation, long-term care, self-care, and contingency planning. This course is focused on the safety of the first aider and extended care of an ill or injured casualty where help is likely to be delayed or inaccessible.

Course Duration – 3 days (face to face workshops with pre-work)

Students complete an e-learning module and three days of face-to-face of practice and assessment.

Participants are required to undertake online e-learning module prior to attending the face to face workshops for practice and assessment. The online theory component must be completed prior to the day. Click here. This content will be in the theory assessment on the face-to-face days. For other important information and other training related FAQ please click here

Participants who have completed HLTAID011 Provide first aid in last 12 months may be entitled to an exemption from the first day.

Certificate

On successful completion of this course you will be issued a statement of attainment in:

  • HLTAID013 Provide First Aid in remote and isolated sites

St John recommends, as per the First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice and the Australian Resuscitation Council guidelines, that first aid skills are renewed every 3 years and resuscitation skills (HLTAID009/HLTAID0015) are renewed every 12 months.

Course Outline

The course covers the following: ‘

  • Infection control
  • DRSABCD action plan
  • Managing the unconscious breathing casualty
  • Resuscitation & defibrillation
  • Choking, chest pain, stroke, shock
  • Asthma, allergic reactions & Anaphylaxis
  • Burns, wounds & bleeding
  • Fractures & dislocations / sprains & strains
  • Head, neck & spinal injuries
  • Facial & eye injuries
  • Hyperthermia & hypothermia
  • Rescue preparation & evacuation
  • Poisons, bites, & stings
  • Diabetes & seizures
  • Remote area first aid
  • Two-rescuer resuscitation
  • Planning, preparation, & communication
  • Triage, advanced bleeding
  • Managing environment-induced illness

Assessment Methods

A successful outcome for this statement of attainment will be determined by a range of different methods including written assessment, observation of simulated and practical activities etc. You will be required to demonstrate CPR on a manikin on the floor.

St John NSW offers all accredited training in partnership with St John Ambulance Australia Inc. (RTO 88041)

Credit Transfers

People who have a recent (i.e. less than 12 months old) HLTAID003 or HLTAID011 Provide First Aid certificate can request a credit transfer for Provide First Aid in a Remote or Isolated Situation. This gets a discount in time (you don’t need to attend day one) but not a price discount. Credit transfers can take time to arrange and need to be organised well before the course. Request a credit transfer form at the time of enrolment and return it promptly with evidence of your current HLTAID003 or HLTAID013 certificate. This will be verified by St John, and if a credit transfer is granted it will be attached to the class roll.

 Instructor

Belinda is an outdoor enthusiast and can often be seen out in the bush, in wild places. She is also a regular Navshield First Aider. She is a member of St John Ambulance. In this particular course, Belinda places extra emphasis on treatment for typical outdoor injuries, particularly when medical assistance may be delayed.

Course dates and course codes

This training will ONLY be available for participants over 18.

Provide First Aid HLTAID011 – $176 at Barra Brui (Community Price)

Provide Advanced Resuscitation HLTAID015 ($125)

There are no upcoming events.

Provide Pain Management PUAEME005 ($75)

There are no upcoming events.

Provide First Aid in a Remote or Isolated Environment HLTAID013 ($219.77)

People who have missed out on this Remote course can book in EARLY for the November Remote course, or else enrol in a weekday Remote First Aid course run by St John at Winston Hills. These courses run Monday-Wednesday once a month. Cost is $357 as it is a commercial course run with a St John staff trainer – link for details https://www.stjohnnsw.com.au/electrical-remote-and-advanced-training

Notice to clubs: Please do NOT put the exact dates and course numbers anywhere on your club program along with the St John phone number for bookings. There are two very important reasons for this:

  1. The regulator (ASQA) insists that everyone who enrols in training is given specific advice about course content, duration, cancellation, appeals etc. If clubs short-circuit that notification process by encouraging people to enrol without reading this web page first it would be considered a non-compliant process when St John is audited
  2. The venue is hard to find, and the best information about how to find it is on this page. The automatic email sent from St John on enrolment will just say “Hunter Street St Ives”. As the venue is on crown land it has no street number, and the automatic email cannot be changed.

Location

Barra Brui Training Venue, Hunter Avenue, St Ives. Entry is via a driveway in Hunter Avenue. The course is run in the second hall at the end of this driveway.

Bara Brui Scout Hall map
Bara Brui Driveway

How do I enrol?

All participants must be 18 years or older. There will be NO exceptions to this.

The maximum number of students for each course is 18, and Remote First Aid classes usually fill several weeks/months beforehand. The best way to make sure you don’t miss out is to enrol early.

Bookings for all classes are managed by St John Ambulance Australia (NSW). Payment must be made at time of booking. Please follow the following instructions exactly and carefully:

  1. Phone St John Ambulance Customer Service 1300 360 455. Do not use the St John online booking system
  2. Tell Customer Service that you want to enrol in course 123_4_***_****_SMOUN (the exact course codes are above). Do not say “I want to book into the bushwalkers course” or “I want to book into the course at St Ives“. The course code will let the operator identify the correct class and location.
  3. Say you bushwalker and that the community price is to be charged.
  4. If you have a current/recent HLTAID011 Provide First Aid certificate and wish to seek an exemption for day one of the Remote course, ask for a credit transfer form at the time of enrolment.
  5. If Customer Service has any difficulty with your enrolment, ask to be transferred to Alex Fielding-Smith.

Please do not phone Customer Service to ask for an exception to be made (e.g. to be added to a class that is already full, or to enrol if you are under 18). Instead, contact Outdoor.Division@stjohnnsw.com.au to discuss options.

Please inform St John when making a booking if you have any special needs that may require attention during the course. We will do our best to accommodate everybody. All personal information will be kept confidential.

Other important points

All students must have a Unique Student Identifier (USI) number. You will not be able to undertake this training without a ten-character USI. If you have not got a USI number yet, apply on-line at https://www.usi.gov.au/ . It is free of charge and only takes a few minutes.

What do I need to bring to the course?

  • There is not enough time during the 30 minute lunch break to go out and buy food. Please bring your own lunch and morning/afternoon tea. The venues are not close to shops.
  • You will need to bring a pen and paper so you can make your own notes and answer the theory exam.
  • Photo ID with date of birth. All participants must be 18 years or older. There will be NO exceptions to this.
  • Wear comfortable clothes suitable for practical work on a carpeted floor.
  • Long hair should be tied back. Avoid jewellery and make-up.
  • Evidence (certificate) showing that you have completed the pre-reading before attending the course. The pre-reading is available here: http://pfa.stjohn.org.au/
  • Remote First Aid course only – on days 2 and 3 bring a pack with your normal weekend or day walk bushwalking gear (minus food) for use in scenarios. Suggestions for suitable equipment can be found

What will be provided at the course?

  • Bandages and dressings
  • Tea/coffee/milk/sugar will be available for morning and afternoon tea.

Refunds

Please carefully consider your commitment to learn First Aid at this course. For information on refunding fees paid, please view St John Ambulance (NSW)’s Policies and Procedures and contact the Customer Service Team on 1300 ST JOHN (78 5646) or customer.service@stjohnnsw.com.au for any questions.

Transfers

Transfers are limited to courses within three months… but these particular courses only happen four months apart. If you cannot attend a class and want to change to the next one you need to cancel your enrolment and re-enrol in a later course.

A full refund of fees paid will be given if a notice in writing/email is given ten (10) business days prior to the commencement of the course.  A part-refund (50% of fees) may be granted if less than ten (10) business days’ notice is given (see link to policy – above under “Refunds”)

Who can I contact if I have further questions?

Email Outdoor.Division@stjohnnsw.com.au

St John NSW offers all accredited training in partnership with St John Ambulance Australia Inc. (RTO 88041)