Georgina Connery
Published: January 30, 2017 – 6:58PM

Firefighters have extinguished a grass fire that was burning perilously close to homes in Latham on Monday evening..

Eleven units and two helicopters helped to put out the fire at Umbagong Park, which created significant smoke in the area.

Emergency Service Crews had earlier warned the fire was burning in an easterly direction toward Dalley Crescent, Inglis Place, Mcfarlan Place and Moorehead Place.

“Fires burning in VERY HIGH conditions can be difficult to control – flames may burn into the tree tops,” the agency spokesman said at the time.

“There is a chance people may die or be injured. Some homes and businesses may be damaged or destroyed.”

The spokesman warned embers could be blown and spot fires may occur 2km ahead of the fire.

“Your home will only offer safety if it and you are well prepared and you can actively defend it during a fire,” they said.

“Leaving is the safest option for your survival. You should relocate to the location identified in your Bushfire Survival Plan.”

No property was damaged and no injuries have been reported.

More to come. 

This story was found at: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/grass-fire-contained-in-lathams-umbagong-park-20170130-gu1pm8.html

Great news tonight, there was some concerns this afternoon when this fire was not under control but it looks like all is good. Just remember it is going to stay hot all week. Stay hydrated and be prepared to help people who might suffer heat stroke or hyperthermia. Cool Cool Cool them down. Book in to one of our first aid courses in the next month so that you can learn how to treat any heat injuries including burns. Our first aid courses are designed to teach you the basic level of training so that you can help out in t he case of an emergency before paramedics arrive. Our first aid courses are cheap but still the best in Canberra where you will get some great hand son experience.

Twenty-five thousands Victorians have been trained in how to perform potentially life-saving skills, for when paramedics can’t make it in time.

With a new app, Ambulance Victoria will soon be able to call on first-aid trained citizens to help respond to medical emergencies.

When a triple zero call for a heart attack is made, community members with resuscitation qualifications will also be alerted through their phone.

They’ll be given the patient’s location, and sent to provide CPR before paramedics arrive.

Hero HQ was founded by paramedic Nikki Jurcutz who had seen first-hand the difference first responders could make after a cardiac arrest.

Similar programs are already in operation overseas.

Ambulance Victoria’s Ian Patrick said the earlier first aid could be administered after a heart attack, the greater the chance of survival.

“We want to actually strengthen the chain of survival by having early CPR and early defibrillation because we know that makes a huge difference.

The ambulance union Ambulance Employees Australia has cautiously welcomed the initiative, but stressed safety for inexperienced first responders must be paramount.

© Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2017

Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/health/2017/01/28/20/25/new-app-will-call-on-trained-victorians-to-perform-first-aid-before-paramedics-arrive#IyKzkSLqDbRlCiAi.99

An interesting idea in the first aid course world. It would be good if people signed u when completing a first aid course. We would then know that the people being contacted are highly trained in a first aid course. Book in to one of our first aid course at the Dickson Tradies. We deliver great training. Plus it is at a great price for a first aid course.

Days out from the series three launch, producers of the South African-based reality series are on medium alert as the local damn has broken and currently running at 170 cubic litres of water per second.

“We’ve run through the plans in the event of that, and they’re fairly scary,” I’m A Celebrity host Chris Brown told News Corp Australia.

“We sit in a large wooden and steel tree house at the top of the jungle so when lightning starts hitting, we’re quite a large target. Basically, we’ll have to relocate out of our tree house to somewhere safer. It just shows you that we’re in the wilds of Africa and this stuff does happen. It also reinforces that if we’re going through it then our celebrities in camp are as well. It’s an extreme place and extreme places have extreme weather.”

MORE: Chris Brown predicts, someone will walk from ‘I’m A Celebrity’

It is a very different scenario to last year’s season when the area near Kruger National Park was in severe drought.

If the damn flow reaches 450 cubic litres a second the production will have to be evacuated.

On Wednesday night alone, the area registered 187mm of rain, with a severe storm causing power outages.

“There is little concern that heavy rainfall in camp could lead to flash flooding but there is a contingency that will have celebrities evacuated and relocated to another location,” Ten head of entertainment and factual programming Stephen Tate said.

Production get weather information from the local disaster management team, the local air force base and weather forecasters on a daily basis.

“If we do get heavy rain as predicted then the celebrities better watch out,” Brown added ahead of series three of the reality show premiering on Sunday night. “I think flooding will be the least of their concerns because the water does a lot of things. It tends to get snakes moving, spider’s holes get filled and they’ll often come out and go in search of a new home. And also Tics, and all sorts of bugs, their biggest fear is drying out, so at the moment because there is water around they feel that they can be very active and breed.”

And of course, there are larger African animals like Hippos and crocodiles.

“The more rain there is, the more hippos’ scent gets washed away so they have to go back out and re-establish their territories,” Brown explained. “They’ll often wonder around a lot more and seek out areas they haven’t necessarily been to for a while. That may include our camp.

And we’ve got a resident leopard that the bush boys have said they are still finding tracks from, so if it rains then I’m sure our leopard will be keen to get back out there and leave its scent on a variety of trees, and potentially celebrities.”

*The journalist is in South Africa as a guest of Channel Ten.

I really hope these guys have done a first aid course! Completing a first aid course before an overseas adventure or even before a domestic trip can be a great idea. We will give you a first aid course that will provide you with the best knowledge and some hands on experience so that you are prepared for many emergencies. Come and complete a first aid course with us at Canberra First Aid. Our first aid course is now only $100 per person and we guarantee you will get excellent training if the field. Book Now.

Book in to a Canberra First Aid Course today so that you can learn the pressure immobilisation technique. We offer excellent first aid training at a fraction of the cost of the big companies. Book in to one of our first aid courses and you will receive a free first aid manual and keyring facemask.

We run our first aid courses in the quiet and comfortable Dickson Tradies so book in now and enjoy the best first aid course in Canberra.

Despite being home to some of the world’s most venomous creatures, a new study has found most Australians don’t know basic first aid when it comes to treating spider bites and stings.

So Ross and John decided to find out.

They asked toxinologist Julian White.

“Essentially it’s the same first aid you’d use for a snake bite,” he explained.

“So that’s a pressure bandage, immobilisation technique.”

Andi Yu

Australian Associated Press
As scorching temperatures engulf NSW over the next few days, the danger of bushfires will increase across parts of the state.

The threat of fire will be at its greatest on Wednesday, when the mercury will hit 38C in Sydney and climb above 40C in other parts of the state.

“There will be a very high fire danger in the Hunter, Sydney, through the Riverina and Central Western Plains and through most of the state,” Rural Fire Service Inspector Ben Shepherd said on Monday.

“West of the Great Divide there has been considerable grass growth, given that we came out of the third-wettest winter on record … and that could act as tinder.”
A heatwave is expected to intensify to severe or extreme levels past 45C this week around inland NSW.

Insp Shepherd said conditions are expected to ease on Thursday due to a southeasterly pushing up the coast, with temperatures dropping to 27C in Sydney and 30C out west.

“Fortunately at this stage the element that is in our favour is the wind speed; there isn’t a strong wind for the majority of this week, that and the humidity are tempering the fire weather at this stage,” he said.

Recent fires have burned through more than 5500 hectares, with an estimated $650,000 in crop losses, 300 sheep killed and the destruction of fencing.

RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons has urged farmers to protect their properties by putting in firebreaks around paddocks and other valuable assets and warned motorists not to drive through or stop in long grass.

“Even if it’s just for a few minutes, as the heat from a car’s exhaust can be enough to start a fire,” Commissioner Fitzsimmons said.

“Grassfires can move more than three times as fast as a bush fire. Act now, be prepared and survive.”

Thursday’s reprieve won’t last long, with temperatures due to climb again on Friday.

Yes it’s bushfire season so please keep an eye out for any spot fires starting in the Canberra region. Please call 000 if you see anything. If you are burnt in a fire please make sure you treat it correctly with a minimum of 30minutes running cold water. For more great first aid course information please book in to one of our great first aid training days held at the Dickson Tradies. Our first aid courses are the best in Canberra. Please see our testimonials page and also our google and Facebook reviews. 

Cardiovascular deaths around the world, such as heart attacks and strokes, peak in January. Why this is the case has baffled scientists for some time, but new evidence is starting to unravel the mystery.

Scientists initially thought it had something to do with the cold, but this proved to be a false start. Researchers at the University of Southern California examined deaths from heart attacks between 1985 and 1996 in Los Angeles, a city with a mild winter and a daily minimum temperature that is relatively constant throughout the year. They found a seasonal variation in heart attacks, with a third more deaths occurring in January.

The researchers also analysed 1.7m death certificates (2005 to 2008) from seven US locations that ranged from hot to cold. Again they found a similar pattern of cardiac mortality including heart attacks in these different locations with a peak in January. These results chime with other studies conducted across the globe, including the UK, which uncovered a winter peak in deaths from cardiovascular disease.

Air pollution

Researchers have also considered air pollution, and here they seem to be on firmer ground. There is a seasonal rhythm to air pollution. Nitrogen dioxide levels – a key pollutant in causing premature deaths in Britain, for example, are at their highest in January in the large cities. Oxford Street in London is reported to be the most polluted street in the world for nitrogen dioxide. In fact, London is so polluted that in just the first seven days of 2015 and 2016, London already breached its legal limit on air pollution for the whole of that year.

Even short-term exposure to pollutants, from diesel and petrol fumes, is associated with increased deaths from heart attacks and strokes. Pollutants enter the bloodstream, via the lungs, where they initiate an inflammatory response. This can lead to blood clots in the arteries – a risk factor for heart attacks and strokes.

Flu

Another important trigger for heart attacks is infection. Infections are high during winter and there is a known link between the flu virus and cardiovascular disease. The flu virus affects inflammatory and blood-clotting pathways, which can cause fatty deposits on the artery wall (plaque) to break loose, leading to coronary artery blockage – the main cause of heart attacks.

The flu vaccine is associated with reduced hospitalisation and death in heart attacks and stroke. A five-year US$21m clinical trial began this year to test the effect of a high-dose flu vaccine (four-times the normal dose) to combat cardiac deaths.
Flu vaccination is associated with fewer deaths from cardiovascular disease. Peerayot/Shutterstock.com
Other risk factors that are also seasonal include high cholesterol, high blood pressure and low vitamin D levels. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased incidence and risk of heart attacks. Combine these with the previously mentioned risk factors for coronary death (pollution and flu), and you have a recipe for disaster.

Beware January mornings

It turns out these circulating risk factors not only have seasonal variations, but daily ones too. Research shows that they are at high levels in the morning and low in the evening. So, not only are we more susceptible to heart attacks in January but there is also a higher incidence of heart attacks between 6am and noon.

Almost every cell in our body has a group of interacting genes that act as a clock. These “circadian clocks” help to regulate biological processes, including clotting and inflammation. They ensure that our bodies follow a 24-hour rhythm and adapt to changes in our environment. Disruption of these internal timing mechanisms can lead to cardiac disorders. Indeed, a study showed that the Monday after the clocks go forward by one hour (daylight savings) there is a 24% increase in the numbers of heart attacks compared with any other Mondays of the year.

Lack of sleep can also increase the risk of strokes and heart attacks. Disrupting the circadian rhythms and sleep in the days after a heart attack can also hinder recovery.

So what do daily biological rhythms have to do with cardiovascular deaths in winter? Researchers at the JDRF/Wellcome Trust Diabetes and Inflammation Laboratory examined blood and fat-tissue samples from 16,000 people living in the UK, US, Iceland, Australia and The Gambia. They found almost a quarter of all our genes differ in activity according to the time of year, with some more active in winter than summer. The study revealed that numerous genes involved in regulating our immune system are seasonal. In other words, they express (make) proteins at different rates, depending on the season. One of these genes is ARNTL, an important circadian-clock gene that suppresses inflammation. ARNTL was found to be least active in January, which may contribute to the higher levels of inflammation.

What all this research is showing us is that January presents a “chronorisk” – where several risk factors, when occurring in the same time period, can be lethal. In the case of coronary deaths, the chronorisk is January. So in addition to wearing a thicker coat in January, make sure you get some decent hours of sleep, top up your vitamin D and stay away from heavy traffic and busy high streets; an easy task then during the busiest period of the year.

Please remember that this article is taken from the USA so they are talking about January being winter where as we would be looking at July/August in Australia. A very interesting read in regards to heart attack and when they are more likely to occur. Make sure you know how to treat a heart attack by booking in to a first aid course with us at Canberra First Aid. We offer very good first aid training at a fraction of the cost of the more well known first aid providers. Check out our details at www.canberrafirstaid.com 

Primary school teacher Sophie Eustace is used to working early mornings and late nights. As a consequence, her exercise is often relegated to the weekend.

“It’s hard to fit in regular sessions around my job as a teacher. It’s long hours and I prefer to just have a few per week instead of burning out.” she said.

In good news for ‘weekend warriors’ like Ms Eustace, a new study is suggesting two exercise sessions a week is all that is needed to greatly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Four researchers studied exercise data from nearly 63,000 participants over 18 years. They found little difference in health outcomes between the weekend warriors and those who exercise regularly throughout the week.

For instance, the risk of premature death of any cause was 30 per cent lower in weekend warriors and 35 per cent lower in the regularly active. The risk of death by cardiovascular disease was reduced by the same amount (41 per cent while the risk of early death by cancer was 18 per cent and 21 per cent lower respectively.)

The study’s lead author, Associate Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, of the Charles Perkins Centre, suspects the various sports that the majority (94 per cent) of the weekend warriors participated in explains the results.

“The weekend warriors did so well because of increased vigorous physical activity,” Professor Stamatakis said. “That’s a possible explanation.”

“The key message from our study is a little is better than nothing,” says Professor Stamatakis of the research published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. “It highlights that a little physical activity can go a long way.”

That bodes well for Ms Eustice, who fears adding more to her workload may spoil the fun of exercise.

“Definitely – if I was to push out more sessions, I might end up exhausted and not wanting to go.”

The World Health Organisation recommends that adults do at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity, or at least 75 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity activity. Surpassing these guidelines leads to additional health benefits.

WHO also lists doing household chores, gardening, dancing, and brisk walking as moderate-intensity exercises while running, fast swimming, and fast cycling are listed as vigorous-intensity exercises.

This means you may not even have to go to the gym to meet your weekly fitness quota.

Professor Stamatakis does note however that they were looking at specific outcomes (premature death) and that the frequency of exercise is still important to other outcomes, like diabetes. Diabetics are advised to exercise at least three days a week and avoid more than two consecutive days without exercising.

I think we are all aware of this now, it’s just about doing something about it. If you want to be able to help if someone is having a heart attack it would be a great idea to book in to a first aid course. Doing a first aid course doesn’t have to cost $200 or more. There are many providers now offering a first aid course in Canberra for less than $120. We are charging $100 for refreshers and first time first aid courses. So book in to one of our first aid courses now.

MANDATORY reporting of potentially deadly anaphylactic reactions is to be introduced following the death of a 10-year-old boy after consuming a “coconut drink”.

The move comes as the boy’s mother and brother launch legal action against the company that imported the drink. They claim the company’s negligence and failure to take reasonable care and adhere to consumer laws caused them injury and loss and seek unspecified damages.

Coroner Audrey Jamieson expressed alarm about mislabelled imported foods after keen soccer player Ronak Warty’s life was devastatingly cut short when he had an allergic reaction after consuming the “natural” drink.
Green Time Natural Coconut Drink contained an undeclared milk ingredient, the coroner heard.
The coroner heard the can of Green Time Natural Coconut Drink imported from Taiwan contained an undeclared milk ingredient.

“I think it is alarming that foodstuffs are being imported where the public are being completely misled about the contents,” Ms Jamieson said.

In June she recommended mandatory reporting; saying the lack of such a system had contributed to a month-long delay in recalling the coconut drink. And it wasn’t until another anaphylactic event 18 months later that widespread testing of similar imports was done, triggering further undeclared allergen product recalls.

Health Minister Jill Hennessy told the Coroner she will introduce new laws to make it mandatory for hospitals to report all cases of children presenting at hospitals suffering anaphylaxis to the Department of Health and Human Services’ food safety unit so the cause can be identified.

The scheme will be backed by an education campaign, with details currently being developed by the department.

According to separate statements of claim filed by Kalpana Warty, 55, and Ritesh Rikain Warty, 22, in the County Court they have both suffered psychological injury including post-traumatic stress disorder, complex bereavement disorder.

Ms Warty has also suffered chronic depression as a result of witnessing her son’s injuries and learning of his death, and Mr Warty has suffered complicated grief reaction from witnessing the effect of his brothers injuries and death.
Ms Warty, whose husband Satyajit has died since their son’s death, and her son allege importer Narkena Pty Ltd had a responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of consumers of the drink purchased from a retail outlet in the Burwood One Shopping Centre.

Ronak fell ill after eating a rich soup at dinner and then having the drink at the family’s Burwood East home on December 13, 2013.

He was treated by paramedics and taken to hospital but suffered complete loss of brain function and his life support was withdrawn a week later.

The coroner heard Ronak suffered from allergies to nuts and dairy which parents told investigators they closely monitored and which Ronak also knew to be careful of.

The drink’s Sydney-based importer Narkena Pty Ltd faced a NSW Food Authority criminal prosecution last year.

The business pleaded guilty to three labelling offences and was convicted, fined $18,000 and ordered to pay costs.

[email protected]

Sad news and some of the issues being found out by introducing cheap products from overseas without correct labelling up to Australian standards. Learn about how to treat anaphylaxis in a first aid course with Canberra First Aid Course. We run at least one first aid course every week and sometimes more. Our first aid course is fast and efficient with great trainers and hands on experience.