History of the Voluntary First Aid Movement

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History of theVoluntary First Aid Movement
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Who are?? the Railway First Aid Volunteers
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History of the Voluntary First Aid Movement

• History
• Timelines
• Thallon group of awards
• Districts Committees
• Competitions
• Classes and Instructors
• Achievements and Community Service
• What the future holds

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History of the Voluntary First Aid Movement The
Story Begins

The Queensland Railway Ambulance Corps (QRAC),
known now as Railway First Aid Volunteers (RFAV),
was instigated by the organisation's employees
who recognised the need to be able to provide
skilled first aid assistance to their colleagues
when necessary Historical records support the
fact that the Corps, in conjunction with the
Order of St John, the Army Ambulance Corps, and
the City Ambulance Transport Brigade (now the
Queensland Ambulance Service), was among the
first organisations dedicated to the advancement
of first aid in Queensland
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History of the Voluntary First Aid Movement
Original Rules of the Queensland Railway
Ambulance Corps

• The objects of the Corps shall be
• To assist the Department by disseminating a
  knowledge of First Aid Work among the staff
• To arrange Practices and Competitions so that the
  instruction received at First Aid classes shall
  not be forgotten and
• As many as possible who have received instruction
  may keep themselves in training and be ready to
  render First Aid when necessary

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History of the Voluntary First Aid Movement
Brief History of the Formation of the Army
Ambulance Corps

• 1885 Dr Surgeon Major John Thomson, Surgeon
  Superintendent Brisbane General Hospital and
  Chief Medical Officer of the Queensland Police
  Force and the Queensland Government Railways,
  founded the Volunteer Army Ambulance Corps
  within the Queensland Defence Force
• This took place at a public meeting chaired by
  Dr Thomson when nineteen volunteers joined.
  The date was 30 April 1885
• This newly formed Volunteer Army Ambulance
  Corps would become a part of the Queensland
  Defence Force (1860 1911)

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• 1885 contd In addition to a military role, the
  Volunteer Army Ambulance Corps would attend
  and provide first aid assistance at events
  such as sporting fixtures or where large
  crowds where assembled.
• 1885 to 1889 During this period the only members
  of the Queensland community to receive first
  aid instruction and render first aid were the
  men who enrolled in the Volunteer Army
  Ambulance Corps.

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History of the Voluntary First Aid Movement
Brief History of the Formation of St John
Ambulance

• 1880 - 1881 Dr Robert Robertson at Melbourne,
  conducts four lectures on Military First Aid
• 1883 First St John Ambulance Association formed
  in Australia. This was at Melbourne
• 1884 St John Ambulance Association formed in
  South Australia
• 1885 Dr John Thomson (1847 - 1909) founded the
  Army Ambulance Corps within the Defence Force
  based in Brisbane. Thirty people present at
  initial meeting with nineteen joining.
• 1887 Lord and Lady Brassey addressed a meeting
  in Sydney. (15.07.1887) They then traveled
  to Brisbane and onto Rockhampton to address
  further meetings.

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• 1887 Approx. Dr Samuel Knaggs of Newcastle,
  sought approval from London to teach St John
  Ambulance First Aid to Newcastle and Hunter
  River Area Railway Workers
• 1889 Dr Surgeon Major John Thomson taught the
  first St John Ambulance Association Course in
  Brisbane. This was a public class and was
  conducted in the School of Arts Building, Ann
  Street Brisbane. Dr Thomson conducted free of
  charge, thirteen courses between May and August
  1889. All at the School of Arts building
• 1890 Establishment of a St John Ambulance Centre
  in NSW. Work of Lord and Lady Brassey and Dr
  Knaggs
• 1909 Establishment of a St John Ambulance
  Association Centre in Brisbane
• 1916 Queensland St John Ambulance Brigade
  established

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History of the Voluntary First Aid Movement
Brief History of the City Ambulance Transport
Brigade

• 1892 The stimulus was an accident at the
  Brisbane Exhibition grounds during the running
  of the Maiden Hunters Cup. The date was
  11August 1892
• 1892 Seymour Warrian of the Military Ambulance
  held a meeting on 12 September 1892. This
  meeting was at his home at Boggo (Annerley)
  Road, Dutton Park. This is generally regarded
  as the inaugural meeting which led to the
  formation of a new civic ambulance brigade
• In addition to Seymour Warrian there were
  fourteen other people present at the meeting.
  One of whom was Eustace Jack

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• 1892 The new brigades first treatment /
  transport was carried out on 4 December 1892.
  This was carried out by Warrian and Tomkins who
  attended a patient at Taringa and the
  following day they transported the patient to
  New Farm. Fifteen shilling was paid for this
  service
• 1892 The first official meeting of the City
  Ambulance Transport Brigade (CATB) at Brisbane
  on 22 December 1892. At this meeting, the
  first election of officers of the newly formed
  CATB was held
• Dr John Thomson was not invited to either of
  the above two meetings
• 1902 Renamed the Queensland Ambulance Transport
  Brigade (QATB)
• 1993 Renamed, Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS)

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History of the Voluntary First Aid Movement
Brief History of the Queensland Railway
Ambulance Corps
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History of the Voluntary First Aid Movement
Brief History of the Queensland Railway
Ambulance Corps

• 1892 Queensland Railway Ambulance Corps (QRAC)
  established on 2 September 1892. A
  Provisional Committee was formed and the
  Election of Officers was held. First secretary
  of the committee was Mr WC Stone from the QGR
  Traffic Department. (Mr Stone remained in this
  position till 1897) Reference Brisbane Courier
  5 September 1892
• Meeting was advised that Dr John Thomson,
  Principal Medical Officer of the Army Ambulance
  Corps, Visiting Surgeon to the Brisbane General
  Hospital, Medical Officer to the Queensland
  Government Railways and the Police, was willing
  to give a series of lectures free of charge
• 1892 On 12 October 1892, formal approval and
  financial assistance was given by the Railway
  Commissioners provided the men conform to the
  Rules of the St John Society

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• 1892 Meeting held on 28 October 1892 to receive
  the report of the provisional committee and to
  form the first ambulance class
• 1892 QRAC first ambulance class held December
  1892. Eighty-five applications were received
  from railway staff with thirty railway
  employees accepted to attend the course
• 1897 JW Davidson took over as the secretary.
  He remained in this position till 1914
• 1914 A (Austin) Price SBStJ appointed first
  Ambulance Officer of the QRAC. This
  appointment of a full time Ambulance Officer
  came about due to the rapid growth of the Corps

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• 1937 RCE (Dick) Smythe SBStJ appointed second
  Ambulance Officer of the QRAC
• 1960 AJS (Arthur) Meyers OBE, KStJ appointed
  third Ambulance Officer of the QRAC
• 1964 JM (Matt) Hopkins CStJ appointed fourth
  Ambulance Officer of the QRAC
• 1976 WA (Arthur) Carvolth BEM OStJ appointed
  fifth Ambulance Officer of the QRAC
• 1980 CH (Cliff) Vernon OStJ appointed sixth
  Ambulance Officer of the QRAC

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• 1984 BC (Brian) Dunstan CStJ appointed seventh
  Ambulance Officer of the QRAC. BC (Brian)
  Dunstan was the last of the Ambulance Officers
  to be appointed
• 1993 The title Queensland Railways Ambulance
  Corps changed to Queensland Rail First Aid
  Services (QRFAS). Ambulance Officer changed
  to Senior First Aid Services Adviser
• 2000 BC (Brian) Dunstan retired from QR. The
  position of Senior First Aid Services Adviser,
  (formerly Ambulance Officer), was abolished

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• 2000 Two First Aid Services Advisers KG
  (Kieran) Broad and GD (Gary) Crook coordinated
  activates and managed the competitions. KD
  (Keiran) Broad played the lead role
• 2003 KG (Keiran) Broad retires with GD (Gary)
  Crook taking on the lead role. DS (Darryl)
  Jamieson came into the team temporarily
• 2004 NW (Neville) Spark appointed to fill the
  second First Aid Services Adviser role
• 2008 Thallon Medal Centenary Conducted

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• 2010 Separation of QR Limited 1 July 2010. GD
  (Gary) Crook First Aid Services Adviser QR
  National. NW (Neville) Spark First
  Aid Servicer Adviser Queensland Rail
• 2011 State First Aid Services Committee adopts a
  new name Railway First Aid Volunteers for the
  Voluntary First Aid Movement
• 2011 State First Aid Services Committee adopts a
  new name Railway First Aid Volunteers State
  Committee

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History of the Voluntary First Aid Movement
Chairmen - Queensland Railway Ambulance Corps

• In addition to the Ambulance Officers, the QRAC
  appointed Chairmen to oversee the activities of
  the Corps
• To date there have been eleven Chairmen. The full
  list is
• 1902 - 1911 JF James Thallon appointed
  President of the Committee. During this
  period he was appointed Commissioner for
  Railways
• 1914 JW Davidson, former Secretary, was
  appointed Chairman. He became Commissioner
  for Railways in October 1918
• 1919 JT John Cunningham SBStJ
• 1936 J Grant
• 1939 JS Strachan SBStJ

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• 1957 BW Joe Girard
• 1964 WR Bob McGregor
• 1975 JE Jim Burke OStJ
• 1986 AJ Allan Matheson
• 1995 MM Martina Sheehan
• 1996 PZ Paul Niethe SBStJ
• 2005 JJ John Bates

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History of the Voluntary First Aid Movement
James Forsyth Thallon the Thallon Medal
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History of the Voluntary First Aid Movement
Thallon suite of awards
Upon completion of the annual first aid class
examinations, participants whose marks are in the
top grouping are invited to sit for a further
special examination called the Thallon Medal
Examination

• The Thallon Medal Examination started in 1908.
  Awards include
• Thallon Medal (greatest proficiency employee 4
  years or over)
• WR McGregor Medal
• Minister for Transport Medal
• Dr Thompson Novice Medal
• Chief Executive Medal
• Chairmans Award

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History of the Voluntary First Aid Movement
Districts Committees

• SOUTH WESTERN
• Extending from the distant signal on the
  Toowoomba side of Helidon to Wallangarra,
  Dirranbandi, Cunnamulla and Quilpie and all
  branch lines
• SOUTH EASTERN
• Extending from Helidon to Eudlo on the North
  Coast Line and all branch lines, Metropolitan
  Suburban Network, Beaudesert and Gold Coast Line
• NORTH COAST
• Extending from Palmwoods to Yandaran including
  all branch lines. Monto is to be included in
  this district
• CENTRAL QUEENSLAND
• Extending from just North of Yandaran to Mackay
  and all branch lines Gladstone to Mungungo, West
  to Winton Distant Signal on the Longreach side
• NORTH QUEENSLAND
• Extending from North of Mackay to Cairns, West
  to Winton and Mount Isa, and all branch lines
  including the Normanton Rail System

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Districts Committees

• Each district has a honorary committee that is
  responsible for the promotion of the Voluntary
  First Aid Movement at a local level. A state
  committee oversees Voluntary First Aid Movement
  and is responsible for strategy development and
  the general direction of the movement
• The composition of the state committee is
• Chairman Deputy Chairman
• Delegate from each district
• Two First Aid Services Advisers
• Representative From Queensland Rail QR National
• Minute Taker

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History of the Voluntary First Aid
MovementCompetitions
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History of Voluntary First Aid MovementCompetitio
ns
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History of Voluntary First Aid MovementCompetitio
ns

• Since 1914, annual competitions at district and
  state levels have been held for Voluntary First
  Aid Movement members
• Competitions
• Local
• District
• State
• National
• Qld Corporate First Aid Challenge

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History of Voluntary First Aid MovementCompetitio
ns
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History of QR Voluntary First Aid
MovementCompetitions
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Competition - Events Awards

• Events
• Supplied Material
• Improvised Material
• Treat and Recovery
• Oral
• Individual
• Awards
• Chief Executive Silver Challenge Shield
• St John Ambulance Challenge Cup

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History of the Voluntary First Aid
MovementCompetition Awards
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History of the Voluntary First Aid Movement
Competitions

• Competition Benefits
• First Aid Knowledge and Skills
• Leadership Skills
• Communication Skills
• Interpersonal Skills
• Analytical Skills
• Diagnostic Skills
• Assessing Skills
• Networking

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History of the Voluntary First Aid
MovementClasses
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Classes Instructors

• Classes
• Lunch time, evening and week end classes
• Classes held through out Queensland
• Employees, partners, family and friends
• 70 Classes
• 550 AFA participants plus over 100 CPR renewals
• Instructors
• 65 Volunteer Instructors
• Assistants and Class Secretaries

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Achievements Community Service

• Achievements
• 120 years of history of supporting the community
• Large network of volunteers
• High standard of activity
• Winner of four Qld Corporate First Aid Challenges
• Strong relationships with kindred organisations
• Community Service
• Volunteer First Aid Training
• Commendations for First Aiders and First
  Responders
• Volunteer First Aid Duties
• SIDS Trek For Kids

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History of the Voluntary First Aid MovementSIDS
Trek for Kids
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What The Future Holds

• 2012 120 years supporting the community
• Continued Volunteer Classes
• Continued Competitions
• Support from partnering organisations
• History Heritage
• 2014 100 years of competitions
• 2017 125 years

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• Reference to Publications
• The History of St John Ambulance in Queensland
• Queensland Railway Ambulance Corps Historical
  Records
• Brief History First Aid Movement 1892 1973
• QRAC 1892 1992 Celebrating 100 years
• Contributions from
• Queensland Rail
• QR National
• First Aid Services
• History Heritage Committee Past Chairman
  Brian Dunstan
• Queensland Rail Historian Greg Hallam

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History of the Voluntary First Aid
MovementQuestions?