The training is aimed at people who are often the first responders at the scene of serious incidents.

The Cobar training will be at the SES unit, Lot 42 Railway Parade North at 2pm on Saturday and in Dubbo at the SES unit at 15 Depot Road, at 2pm on Sunday.

The training is part of Careflight’s world class MediSim program. 

It will be the second time the training has been delivered in both towns.

Careflight says health services in rural and regional Australia can be stretched in emergencies and often the first people to arrive at the scene of a serious incident are local rescue volunteers.

MediSim program Manager Colin Brown said those first five or ten minutes can mean the difference between life and death for the patient.

“This is where the MediSim program comes in. CareFlight sends doctors, paramedics and nurses to rural and remote areas, delivering world class trauma training to local first responders,” Mr Brown said.

“These emergency services do an incredible job for their community and they could be at the scene of an accident before professional medical help arrives. In rural and remote areas, first responders can be on their own for a period of time so they need to be able to manage that situation appropriately.”

MediSim was launched in 2011 and more than 3,500 emergency service volunteers have been trained free of charge to date.

“That means more than 3,500 first responders are in a better position to respond quickly and effectively to an emergency situation in their local community,” Mr Brown said.

“Probably the best endorsement of the MediSim program is when our volunteers tell us about all the times they’ve used the skills we’ve taught them and all the lives they’ve saved in the process.”

The program is unique. Volunteers learn from highly-experienced professional emergency specialists including doctors and intensive care paramedics.

Lifelike mannequins and a unique car crash rescue simulator aid in the recreation of a high pressure environment, ensuring the training is realistic.

The MediSim program was developed by CareFlight’s Dr Ken Harrison and has won highly prestigious awards both nationally and internationally.

MediSim is delivered at no cost to participants with the help of Origin Energy and the generosity of CareFlight supporters.

 For more information visit www.careflight.org