Primary producers, farm hands, and agricultural workers across the district can access specialised, fully-funded emergency response training through a dedicated workshop this winter.
The Australian Red Cross, in partnership with the Orbost Education Centre, will deliver a tailored “Farm First Aid Training” day on Monday, July 13.
Running from 9.30am to 4.30pm at the education hub on Ruskin Street, the program is being deployed specifically to support regional communities navigating the long-term pressures of drought and bushfire recovery.
Farms present highly unique, isolated, and hazardous working environments where standard first-aid responses are often complicated by distance.
This accredited course focuses directly on the skills needed to manage severe, time-critical injuries common to agricultural settings, including machinery mishaps, livestock handling incidents, and remote trauma care. Crucially, the training acknowledges that physical safety is only one part of rural resilience.
The afternoon curriculum features a dedicated mental health and wellbeing session, providing attendees with practical toolkits to identify and cope with the unique stress, anxiety, and environmental pressures faced by modern farming families.
The course is completely free for eligible local participants, and lunch will be provided on-site.
However, because places are strictly capped to ensure high-quality, practical instruction, organisers advise that immediate RSVP is required through the Orbost Education Centre or by contacting Red Cross directly.
