Some of the most dynamic and visible roles in Australian communities during the summer are those of our courageous and dedicated first responders.
Firefighters, the State Emergency Services, police, ambulance, and our defence forces all play their roles very publicly – and skilfully – when natural emergencies strike our communities, particularly during the hot and wet months.
Summer is historically the season of our most unpredictable and damaging weather events – flooding, bushfire and the cyclones common further north, typically accompany the months of extremes of hot and humid days, high rainfall and wild winds.
The effects of our natural disasters can be very wide reaching: the rains and floods of 2011 impacted about 75% of Queensland, including massive flooding through the south east and Brisbane. In the same year, Cyclone Yasi, the largest storm to ever hit Queensland, devastated many communities across thousands of square kilometres. Watch video here of Cyclone Yasi.
In another example, bushfires in 2019/20 swept through regions from southern Queensland through northern New South Wales, causing deaths, injuries, and extensive property damage.
First Responders Training
Such natural emergencies have always been a fact of life in Queensland and Australia, and will continue into the future, and our professional trained emergency services personnel will always lead the preparations, response and recovery.
The dangers and destruction in particular caused by high winds and heavy rains trigger actions by the first responders who have dedicated their careers to saving lives and keeping people safe; battling floodwaters, coordinating emergency food and medical support, wading through mud to rescue residents and their pets, and leading the cleanups – all tasks and initiatives that help generate great respect for our emergency responders.
But where do these men and women learn their skills and gain their expertise? Their expertise doesn’t emerge through pure chance!
Registered Training Organisation
Public Safety Training & Response Group is a Registered Training Organisation that specialises in delivering a comprehensive range of training in the public safety sphere – all able to contribute to the overall skills of importance to our emergency services personnel.
Courses begin with the most foundational CPR and First Aid training (as well as providing first aid at isolated sites and first aid services management), and extends through to the more challenging courses such as swift water rescue and flood recovery, and internationally accredited courses in floodwater awareness, rescues from vehicles in floods, body recovery from water, as well as courses in rescue-related aviation, including helicopter rescue crewing and Advanced Helicopter Pilot Training through our sister company Special Mission Helicopters.
All training is conducted by experts, mainly ex-military and ex-emergency services personnel who have considerable expertise and lived experiences that contribute to their teaching.
Public Safety Training & Response Group also delivers courses in licencing for uncrewed drones, which have increasingly been used globally in rescue planning and emergency response. We are also the sole Australian distributor for the revolutionary Fotokite tethered surveillance system, which is being utilised by first responders around the globe. See the Fotokite company video here.
Emergency responders receive trusted training through the Public Safety Training & Response Group by enrolling in their nationally accredited courses.
Here is a summary of our key offerings:
- Nationally Recognised Training: Public Safety Training & Response Group provides a range of accredited courses, including first aid, aviation, and public safety courses.
- Hands-On Training: We emphasise practical, scenario-based training to ensure responders (and members of the public) are well-prepared for real emergencies.
- Specialised Courses: We offer specialised training in areas such as swiftwater rescue, drone operations, and helicopter rescue.
- Experienced Instructors: Our training is conducted by experienced professionals who bring real-world expertise to the classroom and practical training sessions.
Public Safety Training & Response Group is committed to training people to save themselves and rescuing those who can’t.
For more details, visit the Public Safety Training & Response Group website.