Remote First Aid Training: Why it Matters

Who Should Do a Course?

So who should consider taking a remote first aid course like HLTAID013 – Provide First Aid in a Remote or Isolated Site? It’s ideal for:

• Bushwalkers, hikers, and campers 
• Farmers 
• Cavers and spelunkers
• 4WD and off-road adventurers
• Outdoor and adventure guides and instructors 
• Scout and youth group leaders
• Government and utilities workers in remote areas
• Civil construction workers on remote worksites
• Anyone living or working in rural or isolated regions

Basically, if there’s a chance you could find yourself hours or days from professional medical care, remote first aid training is a wise investment. It empowers you to take charge in a crisis, using whatever resources you have on hand to provide potentially lifesaving care until help arrives. 

Think of it as an essential piece of “adventure insurance.” Hopefully you’ll never need to use these skills, but if a remote emergency does occur, you’ll sure be glad you have them. 

Remote first aid training gives you the confidence boost to fully enjoy your outdoor passions, secure in the knowledge that you’re prepared for whatever comes your way.

What Does Remote First Aid Training Cover?

So what exactly will you learn in a remote first aid course? You’ll master all the basics like wound care, fracture/sprain management, and dealing with bites and stings. But then you’ll level up to more advanced skills tailored for remote settings

For example, in a remote area you’ll often need to move a casualty to an area where they can get better treatment or help from emergency services. You’ll learn how to move someone and learn if it’s safe to move them.

Treatment also gets more complex when you’re miles from a hospital. A remote first aid course teaches you to think long-term. What happens if help is delayed for hours or even days? You’ll learn to provide extended care for shock, hypothermia and how to monitor a patience.

Another key difference in remote first aid is the need for self-sufficiency. You’ll learn the differences between a normal first aid kit and one for a remote setting.

Key Topics of Remote First Aid

Some key topics covered in a typical remote first aid curriculum include:

– Thorough patient assessment in remote settings

– Treating environmental emergencies like hypothermia, heatstroke, and altitude sickness

– Using epinephrine and other medications to manage severe allergic reactions

– Stabilizing and packaging patients for lengthy transports 

– Improvised splinting, bleeding control, and other treatments using minimal gear

– Coordinating evacuations via helicopters, boats, or other wilderness transport

– Documenting and communicating key information to facilitate a patient handover

In short, remote first aid training is like a full toolbox upgrade. It equips you for even morechallenging wilderness medical emergencies. And that, quite literally, can make the difference between life and death.

Is Remote First Aid Training Right for You?

By now, you might be thinking, “Wow, remote first aid training sounds intense! Is it really necessary for me?” And truthfully, it’s not essential for everyone. If your idea of “getting wild” is glamping at the Melbourne Hilton, you can probably stick with a basic first aid course.

But if you’re a worker in a remote area or hardcore outdoor adventurer who truly gets off the beaten path, this type of training is invaluable. Not only will it give you the life-saving skills to help yourself or others in a crisis, it also massively boosts your self-reliance and peace of mind in remote settings.

Of course, that level of responsibility is a big commitment. Courses like HLTAID013 Provide First Aid in a Remote or Isolated Site are more in-depth (and yes, more expensive) than standard first aid classes. But in our opinion, it’s hands-down worth the investment for anyone who spends significant time adventuring off-grid.

What’s Involved in Remote First Aid Training?

The courses are designed for normal people, not medical professionals. With expert first aid trainers ready to coach you through the process you don’t need to worry about it being too hard.

So if you’re ready to take your outdoor skills to the next level, we highly recommend checking out a remote first aid course near you. Many outdoor schools and guide services offer them, or you can look for a nationally accredited training provider like My First Aid Course.

Our remote first aid course typically involves 3 hours online pre-course work plus six hours face to face training. You can also bundle it with Advanced Resuscitation and Advanced First Aid if you’d like to grow your knowledge further.

In terms of pricing it’s $350 for remote only first aid.. But it’s hard to put a price on the ability to save a life, especially when that life could be your own.

How Many Staff Should You Train?

The Australian First Aid Code of Practice has specific guidelines for remote situations. It recommends that in high-risk environments, at least 1 in 10 people should be qualified in first aid. 

For those remote areas, courses like HLTAID013 Provide First Aid in a Remote or Isolated Site can be even better than standard first aid courses. Having a higher proportion of your group trained in remote first aid offers extra peace of mind. Imagine if you had not just 1 in 10, but maybe 1 in 4 or even 1 in 2 people with remote first aid skills. The more trained responders you have on hand, the better your odds of a positive outcome if disaster strikes.

Wrap Up

Look for a reputable training provider like My First Aid Course who can guide you through a nationally accredited HLTAID013 Remote First Aid certification. We’ve helped thousands of people get first aid trained and are Brisbane’s best reviewed first aid course.

We’ll try to give you the confidence and capability to handle worst-case scenarios, so you can fully embrace your outdoor passions.  So gear up, get trained, and go chase those wild horizons – secure in the knowledge that you’re prepared for whatever comes your way. Your future self (and your adventuring buddies) will thank you.