RFDS launches Local Hero Awards
Australia’s Royal Flying Doctor Service is calling for nominations for the inaugural RFDS Local Hero Awards to acknowledge individuals who support its work.
Australia’s Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) is calling for nominations for the inaugural RFDS Local Hero Awards, which have been created to thank and acknowledge outstanding individuals who support the work of the Service in their region.
Nino Di Marco, CEO of RFDS Queensland Section, said the RFDS is grateful for the community members and volunteers across Queensland who work behind the scenes to support the work of the Flying Doctor teams, so they can provide vital aeromedical services from nine operational bases in the state. He continued: “The inspiration for these awards came from the actions of a community member last year who used her first aid skills to help save the life of a patient. The incident happened late one afternoon, when our Mount Isa team was called to respond to an incident at Adel’s Grove involving a man who collapsed at the camp ground. As our night crew prepared for an immediate departure, our on-duty doctor provided advice over the phone as CPR was administered with defibrillation, by Adel’s Grove manager Michelle Low Mow, with the help of two nurses visiting the camp site. Fortunately the patient responded well and was transferred by the RFDS to Townsville Hospital.”
Dr Don Bowley, senior medical officer at the RFDS Mount Isa Base, said it was community minded people like Michelle who should be commended for keeping their first aid skills up to date and not hesitating to assist when required.
As well as aeromedical transfers, last year the RFDS delivered more than 95,000 patient consultations across aeromedical, tele-health and primary health care programmes. Nominations are encouraged from community members who have helped the RFDS in some way, whether it is maintaining remote airstrips, making blankets and teddies for premature babies, supporting RFDS community clinics, fundraising, looking after RFDS community medical chests or assisting at the scene of an emergency.
Award nominations are open from 1 March to 1 April 2016 and can be made online by visiting www.flyingdoctor.org.au/qld/localhero or by obtaining an entry form at an RFDS base.