Medical professionals aboard our region’s life-saving service, RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter, will now be even more prepared for every eventuality thanks to a kind donation from the Kennedy Masonic Lodge No 11 of Bowen.
A total of $15,756 was gifted to the invaluable local service and was put directly towards funding an advanced life support mannequin that will help train doctors and Critical Care Paramedics on RACQ CQ Rescue missions.
The life-size and interactive mannequin, named ‘Kennedy’, coughs, wheezes, breathes and even screams – in fact the mannequin makes an array of heart, breath and bowel sounds as well as speech and even has pulse and blood pressure simulator plus skin and veins.
Providing the trauma team with interactive training scenarios and practical experience in airway/intubation training, the life-like device also simulates cardiac related skills, circulatory skills, IV drug administration, trauma and bleeding control, first aid, cardiac defibrillation, pacing and ECG interpretation of over 100 rhythm variations.
RACQ CQ Rescue Media and Communications Manager Naomi Noy said the mannequin was helping educate and improve the competency of the chopper’s medical team by delivering “highly-effective simulation-based training”.
“As medical professionals in varied and high-pressure scenarios, the challenge to deliver continuous and consistent quality patient care requires proper training,” Ms Noy said.
“This mannequin incorporates consistent simulation scenarios into clinical training curriculums helping the doctors and paramedics on board our chopper correct any potential clinical errors.
“Ultimately, the mannequin helps ensure our helicopter medical team are better trained and have more practical experience in the variety of missions we face.”
Kennedy Masonic Lodge Master Ian Barrett said they were very pleased to assist in funding the mannequin and were thrilled it offered such benefit to the medical crew, service and in turn, the community.
“This mannequin is incredibly realistic – it’s also durable, rugged and made to withstand years of use,” he said.
“The multiple modules it features will accommodate a wide range of training needs for this team for years to come and this will greatly assist their training for the emergency situations they face every day across this region. Ultimately, it will help save lives”.
This kind donation is just latest part in the $36,000 funding support given to RACQ CQ Rescue by Kennedy Masonic Lodge over the past decade.
Kennedy Mason Lodge Bowen members, from left, Adrian Tilney, Neville Jones, Ian Pott and Ian Barrett with RACQ CQ Rescue rescue crewman Chris Muffett with ‘Kennedy’ the interactive and advanced life support mannequin they funded. Please credit: RACQ CQ Rescue
