Outdoor First Aid Safety Certification Empowers Pacific Invasive Species Battlers
19 September 2024, Auckland, New Zealand - Pacific invasive species management professionals who often work in remote and rugged environments, where medical help may not be immediately available, are now better prepared after receiving New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) standard certification, on delivering first aid, equipping them with the necessary skills to handle injuries or medical emergencies until professional help arrives.
The importance of invasive species management to protect the environment, communities, and livelihoods in the face of climate change and biodiversity loss is undeniable but the work required to manage invasive species unavoidably leads teams to work outside, sometimes in difficult to reach places, using various tools, some of which can be hazardous.
As part of the recently held PRISMSS Study Tour in Auckland, regional participants underwent two extensive days of First Aid training delivered by Pro+Med (NZ) Ltd, a registered Tertiary Education Organisation with the NZQA and accreditation, to deliver First Aid Training using NZQA unit standards. They provided the First Aid training, with interactive sessions, with a good mixture of theory and practical skills delivered by instructors who have real life experiences and a high level of knowledge.
SPREP Invasive Species Adviser, Mr. David Moverley commented, “Working out in nature is a key requirement of any invasive species management activity. Through dedication to their cause and their countries these Pacific battlers encounter risks to themselves and their colleagues. It is imperative that this is recognised and we ensure that they are equipped and trained as best we can “so that they arrive home at the end of the day safely to their families.”
Fieldwork involves various risks that must be considered, to avoid accidents and if an accident does occur, have the appropriate response in place. As the Pacific embarks on an effort to increase the scale and scope of invasive species management, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) through the Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service (PRISMSS) is coordinating with stakeholders to enable them to conduct fieldwork in a safe and secure way.
“I think helping people when they're unwell, when they're in pain, when they're in crisis, that’s a real privilege and being the first, one of the first of first aid or first responders to help people, I think is really powerful,” commented Mr Shaun Cleaver, the training provider from Pro Med NZ Ltd while delivering the First Aid training.
“Because we're talking about falling over and breaking our leg, or we're talking about getting too cold, or we're talking about not having enough water and being dehydrated and so not only are we learning how to fix it we're becoming more aware of the problems that can happen in the field and that will then improve our recognition of hazards and it should make it a safer workplace and we should absolutely expect to go home without our job impacting on us negatively”.
Mr Cleaver emphasised that having these skills was a privilege and was powerful as the further one is away from help, the more resilience one needs to have, the more resilience that you have enables you to look after yourself and look after others is a life skill.
“It's a privilege to be involved and we need to know how to look after ourselves and look after other people as the further we are away from help, when we're working in the field, and when we are working in the field on remote islands, then we have got to know it, and we have got to be good at it, and be resilient”.
The interactive training sessions delivered over the two days included primary assessments such as scene safety, understanding the Danger, Response, Send, Airway, Breathing, CPR, Defibrillation (DRSABCD) approach, application of Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on adults, children and infants, the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), choking and placing patients on stable side position.
The Pacific battlers also learnt ways to temporarily treat various types of wounds and bleeding control which included the proper and correct way of using pads and bandaging, application of cohesive, emergency bandages, & tourniquets and infection control from coral cuts. Participants of the training session enhanced their knowledge on ways to apply first aid to patients that may be in shock and other medical conditions such chest pain, asthma and hyperventilation.
The sessions also focused on enabling participants to apply first aid to injuries such as burns, fractures and dislocations, soft tissue injuries, seizures, diabetes, strokes, allergic reactions, chest and abdominal wounds and head and spinal injury first aid applications.
Participants attending the training also learnt how to carry an injured person in the correct and safe manner and how available resources can be improvised as a stretcher. As the invasive species battlers work largely in the field and natural environments, a session was also held on environmental concerns such as dehydration, stings and bites, hypothermia and hypo wraps and extended care considerations.
Many organisations require first aid training as part of their safety protocols and best management practices as this ensures that all team members are prepared to handle emergencies effectively and regional participants that attended the training acknowledged the importance of the first aid training and the benefits of obtaining both practical and theoretical knowledge from the training.
“Our work in managing invasive species often involves teamwork, and this first aid training provides us with the knowledge and skills to assist each other in emergencies, ensuring a safer working environment, especially in remote and isolated locations,” said one participant.
Another participant noted, “Dealing with invasive species can involve chemicals and tools that pose risks. The first aid knowledge we’ve gained helps us promptly address any accidents or exposure to hazardous substances.”
A Pacific invasive species battler added, “The physical nature of our work includes handling heavy equipment and navigating difficult terrain, increasing the risk of injuries. Being trained in first aid enables us to attend to minor injuries on-site, preventing them from becoming more serious while we wait for professional help.”
The impact of this training is valuable as it not only enhances the safety and preparedness of the Pacific invasive species battlers on the front lines of invasive species management but also fosters a culture of resilience and mutual support, crucial for the challenging environments they operate in.
The study tour brought together invasive species management professionals and practitioners from across the Pacific region to share and learn from their successes, identify possible sustainable solutions to challenges, expand their knowledge and establish meaningful connections.
The regional study tour was made possible with funding support from the Global Environment Facility funded GEF 6 Regional Invasives Project, the European Union funded PROTEGE project, the New Zealand Government funded Managing Invasive Species for Climate Change Adaptation in the Pacific (MISCCAP) project and supported by SPREP through PRISMSS.
About PRISMSS: The Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service (PRISMSS) is a coordinating mechanism designed to facilitate the scaling up of operational management of invasive species in the Pacific. PRISMSS brings together experts to provide support within the Pacific region with a focus on protection of indigenous biodiversity and ecosystem function. As a service provider, PRISMSS provides a comprehensive suite of support services in a cohesive, effective, efficient, and accessible manner to Pacific Island countries and territories.
For further information please contact Mr Nitish Narayan, PRISMSS Communications & Liaison Officer on [email protected]
