Transcript
Speaker: G'day, I'm Trent Maxwell.
Speaker: And I'm Leigh Mason.
Speaker: And we want to welcome you to our Live, Learn, Survive podcast.
Speaker: Since 2018, Leigh and I travelled the globe and met face-to-face over 31,000 children in six countries across three continents.
Speaker: We created a series of award-winning children's books, a global online education program, and are founders of the Live, Learn, Survive charity, all focused on teaching children and young adults life skills that will not only help themselves, but help others too.
Speaker: We're on a mission to spread awareness about fire, water safety and first aid education to inspire the next generation of first responders.
Speaker: So join us for the next half an hour with some fun, inspiration and kindness and we'll try and learn something too.
Speaker: How are you this week, Lee?
Speaker: Welcome aboard.
Speaker: Maxie, I am great and strangely enough again, I'm sat next to you.
Speaker: I'm in Sydney this time.
Speaker: You are.
Speaker: So, you know, normally, you know, I'm in Brisbane.
Speaker: Today we're together in Brisbane.
Speaker: Sydney and another unique location Maxie.
Speaker: Very unique location.
Speaker: We're in the Holiday Inn here in Mascot.
Speaker: In the restaurant.
Speaker: We're in transit but today is a special day because we've got two great guests.
Speaker: One of our favourite day.
Speaker: These ladies are absolutely amazing.
Speaker: So guests again Maxie and shall I go into the intro?
Speaker: I reckon the well-deserved intro.
Speaker: Absolutely.
Speaker: So joining us today are Emily and Matilda, two mums, best friends, and most importantly, paramedics, who are also the founders of a business together called How to Save a Life.
Speaker: This incredible business teaches carers, soon to be parents and new parents,
Speaker: and in fact anyone who is around young children, baby first aid and CPR training.
Speaker: Their business began in the front seat of an ambulance.
Speaker: They'd spent many hours at uni together, worked countless 12-hour shifts together as paramedics, and then embarked on motherhood at the same time.
Speaker: What they were seeing was a real lack of first aid awareness and training within parents and people relying on the ambulance to save somebody when in fact, as we know, there is a lot that you can actually do before the ambulance arrives that makes a difference.
Speaker: So let's get started and hear more about these two amazing ladies.
Speaker: As we always say, we'll learn something too.
Speaker: Welcome, Emily and Matilda.
Speaker: Thank you for joining us.
Speaker: Hi, guys.
Speaker: Hi, thank you so much for having us.
Speaker: Thank you.
Speaker: It's great to finally make this happen.
Speaker: I know it's been in the pipeline for the last couple of months and it's awesome to see the both of you here and I look forward to everyone hearing the great stuff that you guys do, not just paramedics but with the business that you guys do.
Speaker: Absolutely.
Speaker: Do you want to start off with the first question?
Speaker: I'll get rolling.
Speaker: So ladies, please start.
Speaker: Tell us in first from both of you, how about your paramedic journey?
Speaker: Tell us about that one first.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So Matilda and I have been paramedics in Sydney for the past seven years.
Speaker: And for about the last five of those years, we've been lucky enough to work
Speaker: together in the ambulance as partners.
Speaker: So we have a lot of fun together.
Speaker: We've gone through a lot together and we literally live parallel lives.
Speaker: We're both mums, as you said before.
Speaker: Matilda has two kids.
Speaker: I am pregnant with my second child.
Speaker: So yeah, we're very much living the same sort of life.
Speaker: But
Speaker: Yeah, in 2016, that's when we both met at uni.
Speaker: So we both studied the Bachelor of Paramedic Practice and that was at the University of Tasmania, but Sydney campus.
Speaker: And that's how we met, which is funny because we actually grew up five minutes apart and we didn't know each other before then.
Speaker: But yeah, so Bachelor of Paramedic Practice degree, it's a three year degree, but it was compressed into two years.
Speaker: So it was pretty intense.
Speaker: We didn't have much time off.
Speaker: And it was a pretty practical degree, which was great because I'm a practical learner.
Speaker: So throughout the degree, we did three one month placements where we worked on road in an ambulance with two qualified paramedics attending jobs and treating patients.
Speaker: So that was a really good start to our paramedic training.
Speaker: And then towards the end of the degree, we started applying for full-time jobs.
Speaker: So you could apply for various jobs within Australia, so different ambulance services within Australia.
Speaker: And you could also apply overseas.
Speaker: So lots of people we know applied for London Ambulance Service.
Speaker: So there's heaps of options there.
Speaker: Yep.
Speaker: So it's a worldwide recognised university degree.
Speaker: But Matilda and I both really wanted to work in New South Wales and we were lucky enough to both land jobs here.
Speaker: Yeah, and the interview and selection process was pretty intense.
Speaker: It consisted of a lot of interviews, a lot of exams, a lot of practical assessments.
Speaker: So it was pretty stressful, but we got through it and luckily we had each other by each other's side.
Speaker: Who got the job first?
Speaker: Who had to tell the other one, I've got the job?
Speaker: We actually got the job at the same time.
Speaker: It was been a couple of hours.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: We got the email.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Who got the email first?
Speaker: Maybe Matilda.
Speaker: I was overseas.
Speaker: I was in Canada at the time on a holiday.
Speaker: So there was a bit of a, yeah.
Speaker: That's awesome.
Speaker: Time difference.
Speaker: Incredible.
Speaker: And what station or area do you guys work in now?
Speaker: So we both work in the north of Sydney.
Speaker: So basically when you finish uni, you do your first year as a trainee paramedic at one specific station and you work alongside a qualified paramedic.
Speaker: And then after that year, then you're assigned your permanent stations.
Speaker: And then we both work at the same station now and have been for the last year.
Speaker: five years or so um that's amazing you really are on on um you know like you say what you're never going to be able to put split your walk yeah do you want to hear people like other paramedics say it all the time like do you guys do anything without each other
Speaker: We go on mat leave together, we come back and then we're pregnant again together.
Speaker: Yeah, we've been very lucky.
Speaker: Yeah, it works well because we're both working part-time.
Speaker: We work the same day, same shift, so it's just easy for them to put us together really.
Speaker: Yeah, you make the roster in easier, I bet.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I know how fun it is to work.
Speaker: At the Bankstown Fire Station I work at, I literally work with three of my best mates.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I know exactly what it's like to have someone by your side on those bigger, tough days, some of those bigger jobs that we attend as lawyers and as paramedics.
Speaker: So it's very important and we're so lucky to have that support as well, that peer support.
Speaker: It definitely makes the shifts go a lot quicker.
Speaker: Oh, I know.
Speaker: You're north side, you're west, so you've never all been on the same road as yet.
Speaker: Not yet.
Speaker: The big, big one, as they say, if we see each other at the big, big one, maybe.
Speaker: But occasionally, you know, the paramedics are so busy here in New South Wales and in Sydney especially, there's a chance that their car could be in the southwest or they're going to get pulled into different areas.
Speaker: Yeah, we don't just stay in our area, unfortunately.
Speaker: We go everywhere.
Speaker: Everywhere.
Speaker: I think the furthest, I know I'm going a little bit off topic here, but working down Bondi, the furthest we've had an ambulance come to a broken bone or whatever the job was, was from Picton.
Speaker: Wow.
Speaker: Yeah, that's okay.
Speaker: Wow, that's insane.
Speaker: So you just never know.
Speaker: Yeah, well, I'm going to tell you, my husband's favourite show is Ambulance.
Speaker: Oh, really?
Speaker: He never misses it.
Speaker: He absolutely loves it.
Speaker: So I'm going to, I can't wait until I see you girls on there.
Speaker: That's Emily Matilda.
Speaker: All right, your next question, Mati.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Ladies, so you talked about your paramedic journey.
Speaker: Can you please tell us more about your business, How to Save a Life?
Speaker: Yeah, so we started our business, How to Save a Life, a couple of years ago now.
Speaker: It's basically a mobile first aid training business and we have a big focus on baby first aid.
Speaker: That's really where our passion lies.
Speaker: We deliver training to families in Sydney, Wollongong and the Gold Coast.
Speaker: And basically we come to your home to train your family, your friends, aunts, uncles, whoever is going to be looking after your child.
Speaker: So the only people that provide training under our business are paramedics or nurses.
Speaker: That's something that we feel quite strongly about because we've got sort of the lived experience to be able to share that with whoever we're doing the training for.
Speaker: And we bring all equipment and materials to your home and the training is completed in two hours.
Speaker: And we cover a lot of topics that we see quite often in the ambulance.
Speaker: So things like choking, burns, anaphylaxis, respiratory distress, so any breathing difficulties.
Speaker: As anyone with kids know, they get sick quite often.
Speaker: And then sort of the more serious stuff like infant and child CPR,
Speaker: Doctors A, B, C, D, which is standard in most first aid courses, meningococcal and things like that.
Speaker: Although it's worst case scenario stuff, we'd rather you have the knowledge than not have it.
Speaker: Just in case, you know, an emergency was to strike.
Speaker: Having knowledge there will make the situation a little bit more calm for you, we think.
Speaker: And yeah, so then we also talk about what happens when you call an ambulance and sort of share some anecdotes from our time working in the ambulance.
Speaker: People always are quite interested to hear those sorts of things.
Speaker: And we also do workplace training as well.
Speaker: So we know firsthand that there's not a lot of first aid training amongst the general community.
Speaker: Mainly we think because it's not enforced in Australia like it is in other countries,
Speaker: And I don't think it's that common to be mandatory in schools either.
Speaker: And sometimes the last time people have done a first aid course was when they're in year 10, which could be 10, 20, 30 years ago.
Speaker: And it's not something that you can do once and then,
Speaker: you know, remember for the rest of your life, you really need to keep updating your skills and just doing refreshes because you never know when you could be called on to provide post-aid or CPR to someone in the community.
Speaker: Yeah, exactly, exactly.
Speaker: It's like practice, isn't it?
Speaker: Practice, practice.
Speaker: It's the same as when we do our school programs, you know, not as extreme and the professionalism of what you guys do as paramedics, but we try and educate kids.
Speaker: I had a school talk this morning in Edgecliff and,
Speaker: Telling the kids about basic CPR and Dr. SABCD and water safety and fire safety, it's stuff that they need to learn and stuff that hopefully we can go back to this school every year.
Speaker: But the crazy what you said is there's people that you probably speak to that haven't done a course in years.
Speaker: Yeah, it's so common.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: The times are changing with, you know, even when I first started surf club, I remember it used to be five compressions to five breaths and then it changed all sorts of different ways.
Speaker: So that's awesome that you guys explained how to save a life.
Speaker: It's such a good, it's a great business.
Speaker: things can change, you know, between the years.
Speaker: So it's just really important that you get a refresher and you keep up to date.
Speaker: I mean, just spread the word of how important first aid and CPR training is because we hear stories of a lot of people who, you know, have done CPR training and actually used it and managed to help save someone's life and what an incredible thing that is.
Speaker: Exactly right.
Speaker: Exactly.
Speaker: So what was the first step that you took to start and create this amazing business you've got?
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: So, I mean, we always sort of knew we wanted to go into business together, but really didn't know what that would look like, what kind of business we wanted to start.
Speaker: And then we just realized there's such a need for this in our community because, as you said before, CPR and first aid training,
Speaker: is not enforced in Australia.
Speaker: And we were realising that, you know, so many parents and caregivers had no training or very minimal training in first aid.
Speaker: So we realised we should just use our knowledge, skills and experience as paramedics to help educate the community, workplaces and parents and caregivers.
Speaker: So once we had our business plan and rough idea, we just had to
Speaker: I guess, figure out the legalities and qualifications we needed.
Speaker: So we already had the Bachelor of Paramedic practice, but we also needed to attain our Cert IV in training and assessment.
Speaker: And so we did that online whilst we were pregnant with our first kids and then when they were newborns.
Speaker: So it did take us a while.
Speaker: Luckily, we had each other.
Speaker: We got through it.
Speaker: It is huge.
Speaker: And I really wish we did it in person.
Speaker: So any advice for anyone thinking of doing the USERP 4 and training and assessment, maybe look at doing it in person because we did find it quite difficult to do online.
Speaker: So then, yeah, we did complete that.
Speaker: And then, yeah, we just chose our business name.
Speaker: And then we found an RTO to work under.
Speaker: So all first aid training companies have to work under a registered training organisation.
Speaker: And we built our website, purchased equipment, built our baby and child first aid course from scratch because that is a non-accredited course.
Speaker: So we're not providing anyone with that one.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: which is standard for baby and child first aid training.
Speaker: And then, yeah, once we did that, we launched our business when our babies were
Speaker: about 10 months old and then it really just kicked off and um instagram marketing had a lot to do with that as well so we're very fortunate that um yeah it's just sort of it's like i said it's an amazing amazing business and and you guys are doing some great stuff for the communities not just here in sydney but like you said up at goldie down wollongong newcastle
Speaker: And even the things that are on your, like I've been following your Instagram, some of the advice that you've got on your Instagram, like, you know, I saw something the other day choking.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Just, you know, social media used for good is really powerful.
Speaker: Just to keep reminding people, like as we're always scrolling on our Instagram or social media, just like a 30 second video could literally save someone's life.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Even if you're not doing the full course, at least you're getting, you know, bits of information here and there.
Speaker: Yeah, for sure.
Speaker: Exactly.
Speaker: Best piece of advice that the both of you have received in the past?
Speaker: I know it's a big question.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: But best piece of advice you've been given?
Speaker: So much.
Speaker: It's a very hard question.
Speaker: I would probably just say trust your intuition and go with your gut instinct.
Speaker: If something doesn't feel right, it's probably because it's not right.
Speaker: And I very much believe in that in different aspects of life.
Speaker: So, you know, when it comes to work, being a paramedic, like it's so important to trust our instinct when we're entering a scene with, you know, potential dangers.
Speaker: It's the first thing we assess whenever we arrive on scene because we're so vulnerable and we don't actually have
Speaker: anything to protect ourself with um except to hit our duress alarm and run and so i often think that when i watch that show i often think of like you know two women in an ambulance middle of the night you literally don't know what you're walking into exactly and in our personal experiences it's always been the jobs where we've least expected something to happen you know if there's
Speaker: a potential um some information that comes down on our mdt like our um computer system in our ambulance um that we're a bit concerned about we will stage and wait for the police but sometimes it's not like that there's nothing you can do yeah so trust your gut and then also not just paramedic work but that goes like the same with parenting
Speaker: especially when your kids are sick, you know your child better than any medical professional and you just need to learn to advocate for your child.
Speaker: If you feel like something isn't right, go with your gut instinct.
Speaker: Yep.
Speaker: Speak up, be an advocate for your child.
Speaker: And if that means you need to get multiple opinions from multiple doctors, then do that.
Speaker: It's better to be safe than sorry.
Speaker: Yep.
Speaker: Amazing advice.
Speaker: Hmm.
Speaker: Yeah, and Matilda, have you got anything that you want to add on to best piece of advice you've been given?
Speaker: Yeah, I think trust your gut instinct.
Speaker: Mainly, we always tell people in our first aid courses, particularly the baby first aid course, like a mother's instinct is a real thing.
Speaker: And if you feel like something is off with your child, it probably is.
Speaker: So we always get taught to listen to the parents.
Speaker: If there is a high regard of parental concern, you really need to take that seriously.
Speaker: And more often than not, the parents are right in those situations.
Speaker: Yeah, yeah.
Speaker: That's good advice.
Speaker: That links nicely then.
Speaker: Do you have any story or an example where you've had feedback where something has really made a difference and even saved a life?
Speaker: Yeah, we have actually.
Speaker: And obviously, you know, we never want, you know, anyone's child to become unwell or injured or in a situation or anything like that.
Speaker: But it is super rewarding when we hear that someone's seen our Instagram page and followed one of the tips that we've given or done our courses and, you know, use the skill.
Speaker: The most common thing we get is actually probably choking first aid.
Speaker: Choking is really common, can be really common, especially in little kids, you know, when they're learning to process food, start solids, all that kind of thing, going through the phase of putting everything in their mouths.
Speaker: But we've had a few parents actually reach out and tell us that they recognised their children were choking.
Speaker: They started performing back blows and called the ambulance and managed to dislodge the object and clear their child's airway just from the skills that we've taught them.
Speaker: Amazing.
Speaker: That is just super rewarding.
Speaker: And it's not a difficult skill.
Speaker: You know, choking first aid is not overly difficult.
Speaker: It's just about remembering what to do, being able to do it quickly and step in, you know, immediately as something happens.
Speaker: But to hear that where our education is making a difference and like helping little kids and their families is just amazing.
Speaker: I love them.
Speaker: I saw your little video the other day where you had got the running water over a burn.
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: And you got like the little like running water, you know, cool running water for 20 minutes.
Speaker: And you actually showed the difference of why running water as opposed to just immersing the baby's hand.
Speaker: I thought that was brilliant.
Speaker: Like because that is like such a subtle difference, but makes all the difference.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And there's just lots of things like that, that you wouldn't think make a difference, but it actually does, you know, little tips and tricks.
Speaker: That's why that's the main purpose of our Instagram to give the community little tips and tricks to remember.
Speaker: So if they're ever in some kind of first aid situation that pertains to a baby child or adult.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Brilliant.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: And we spoke about it before, but if you're a first person, I'm sorry, you're a person listening to this podcast, what advice or how important is it for them to learn a first aid skill and what would be the first step in learning some of the skills to learn first aid if you've got some advice?
Speaker: It's so important to learn first aid.
Speaker: And like we said before, it should be really done from the time we're in school.
Speaker: But so, I mean, there's so many great first aid companies out there, whether you go through us or someone else, I guess you just need to figure out what kind of training you need, whether it's, you know, workplace first aid training or first aid training if you're working in a school or something like that, whether it needs to be accredited or not.
Speaker: So honestly, just jump on Google.
Speaker: We offer private first aid courses.
Speaker: So we come out to people's homes or workplaces to provide first aid.
Speaker: So if that's something you're interested in, definitely check out our website or our Instagram.
Speaker: But if you don't have a group of people to get together, you can just Google your local first aid training businesses and jump in on a public course with them.
Speaker: But, yeah, there are just there are so many out there just jumping.
Speaker: Like you say, I just said there's so many out there.
Speaker: Everyone should do everyone should do one just like, you know, like anything else that it's just, yeah, annually you should just do it.
Speaker: We mentioned when we release this podcast, we'll see.
Speaker: But just give everyone that's listening an idea of where they can find you.
Speaker: Yes, so you can find us on Instagram.
Speaker: So our Instagram name is at howtosavealifeau.
Speaker: And then we also have a Facebook page and a website.
Speaker: Our website is www.au.
Speaker: howtosavealife.com.au and all of our information is on there.
Speaker: But yeah.
Speaker: We'll share the links as well.
Speaker: When we post this, we'll definitely share the links as well.
Speaker: It's very important.
Speaker: Yeah, it's so important.
Speaker: And I don't think people realise this.
Speaker: I think they think, oh, well, I live in Sydney.
Speaker: There are ambulances everywhere.
Speaker: I know I've heard that so many times, but you don't know where an ambulance is
Speaker: where an ambulance is when they respond to you.
Speaker: So on average, it takes about eight minutes for an ambulance to get to an urgent case.
Speaker: In those eight minutes, there is so much you can do in terms of first aid or CPR.
Speaker: Every minute matters.
Speaker: And you can't just sit and wait for an ambulance to arrive before we, you know, start some sort of first aid treatment because that could be detrimental, especially if someone's not breathing.
Speaker: They're, you know,
Speaker: Chances of survival.
Speaker: Eight minutes is way too long.
Speaker: Way too long, exactly.
Speaker: Amazing.
Speaker: So what would you say has been the most stressful part of the journey so far?
Speaker: You have stressful jobs.
Speaker: You have stressful – running a business is stressful.
Speaker: What's been the most stressful part so far?
Speaker: I think the juggle between being parents, first-time parents.
Speaker: We both almost have two kids.
Speaker: I've got two and Emily's about to have her second.
Speaker: working as paramedics, running our households and running our business, doing that juggle.
Speaker: I'm sure a lot of parents feel that way as well.
Speaker: That's the hardest part for us.
Speaker: But ultimately, we both thrive when we're busy.
Speaker: And because we're so passionate about our business, it doesn't really feel like work.
Speaker: And because a lot of the time it's, you know, Emily and I spending a lot of time together talking through business ideas, talking about what videos we're going to do and all that sort of stuff.
Speaker: So we're quite lucky in that it doesn't feel like work.
Speaker: It just feels like fun a lot of the time, but definitely juggling it is the hardest part.
Speaker: But luckily we have, you know, supportive families that help take care of the kids and we're running courses and trying to do all the admin and all that sort of stuff so we can grow our business.
Speaker: Yeah, makes a massive difference.
Speaker: The toddlers are probably the most stressful part of our life right now.
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: Any advice for someone that's about to have one at the end of the day?
Speaker: Enjoy it whilst they're really little.
Speaker: Yeah, you still have so much freedom when they're babies, when they start walking.
Speaker: One day at a time.
Speaker: One day at a time.
Speaker: Exactly.
Speaker: Well, I'm going to have you guys on speed dial for sure, I think.
Speaker: Absolutely.
Speaker: Hit us up.
Speaker: People are hearing us all the time.
Speaker: The next question is perfect then for you, Matsey.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So guys, answering that question with your journey so far with the stress, how do you deal with stress and what do you do to kind of de-stress yourselves in these stressful situations?
Speaker: I think it's really great having each other.
Speaker: We bounce off each other a lot.
Speaker: We always, you know, talk to each other if we're feeling stressed, whether that be from a job in the ambulance, we're, you know, right next to each other or we're stressed about parenting.
Speaker: We're always texting each other in the middle of the night about our children.
Speaker: But other than that, I think, you know, we try and, you know, we're both big exercisers.
Speaker: We try and get quiet time, which is a little bit more rare now that I have two children.
Speaker: It doesn't happen that often.
Speaker: Yeah, it's just so important for us to have time to have time.
Speaker: Yeah, read.
Speaker: I love to read, have a bath, try and switch off, but
Speaker: You know, it's a little bit me time is a little bit more foreign these days.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Grab it when you can.
Speaker: Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker: Exactly.
Speaker: So you just said all those incredible things and get in any time.
Speaker: Do you have any time for any hobby or anything else that you'd like to that you like to do?
Speaker: We're very much homebodies.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: So, I mean, we don't have any exciting hobbies, but, like, I mean, I like to go to the beach and just go for walks, hang out with my family.
Speaker: But, yeah, quiet time, I love that, watch my TV show, go to new restaurants, read a book, get a massage.
Speaker: Yeah, just try and switch off, exactly.
Speaker: Switch off.
Speaker: So important to do.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah, so important.
Speaker: With the next career goal, have you guys got any career goals with paramedicine or with business or anything like that?
Speaker: I think we both feel the same way that we want to grow our business as much as we can.
Speaker: We don't know where it'll take us, but we're open to sort of every opportunity that comes our way.
Speaker: We're yes people.
Speaker: We say yes to any opportunity that comes.
Speaker: And yeah, I think growing our business to hopefully a national level would be awesome.
Speaker: getting into as many homes as possible to spread the awareness of baby and child first aid and also, you know, maybe look at schools one day or get more into the corporate space because that's, there's not a lot of people that are trained in corporate settings we've found.
Speaker: So that would be another place that we'd like to look at.
Speaker: So yeah, just spreading our business, spreading the word, spreading the importance of first aid for sure.
Speaker: Amazing.
Speaker: You would be surprised how many times we've been in places and Maxie will ask if everyone knows where the defib is and how many times they don't.
Speaker: I know.
Speaker: And it's one thing to know where it is, but do you know how to use it?
Speaker: Exactly.
Speaker: When you need to use it, there's so many things that go like that.
Speaker: Yeah, exactly.
Speaker: So if you weren't paramedics, what do you think you would have done?
Speaker: What would you be?
Speaker: Um, I personally think I would have become a midwife.
Speaker: Um, having gone through birth twice myself now, I've just, you know, it's made me realize how incredible, incredible women are, how incredible our bodies are and just how amazing and, you know, generous the midwives are and how they support new moms and babies.
Speaker: I just think they're amazing.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Cool.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: That's incredible.
Speaker: And what about you, Emily?
Speaker: I honestly really have no idea.
Speaker: There was no plan B?
Speaker: Is that the case?
Speaker: No plan B. Like maybe something in the real estate, like property industry.
Speaker: I'm really interested in that.
Speaker: But otherwise, yeah, no, I have no idea, to be honest.
Speaker: Amazing.
Speaker: Amazing.
Speaker: And do you think you guys will stay in Sydney?
Speaker: I know you said that you do stuff up on the Gold Coast.
Speaker: Would you just ever move up there or...?
Speaker: I think that I will stay in Sydney mainly because all my family are here, all my support is here and
Speaker: think that's so important when you have kids especially when they're little like maybe later on when they're older I'll move out of Sydney but no for now I need to be close to support that makes such a difference especially because our lives are so hectic so so Matilda that means you're not leaving Sydney anytime soon well I'd be out of this a week would I yeah exactly like you know it's um there needs to be an uh at least a two to five year plan on any of that we have to consult each other before exactly decisions
Speaker: Yes, exactly, exactly, totally.
Speaker: Cool.
Speaker: This is a question to both of you as well.
Speaker: What advice would you give to your 16-year-old selves?
Speaker: I would just say,
Speaker: not to put so much pressure on myself.
Speaker: I think, I mean, I just thought I had to figure it all out as soon as I finished school and like, oh, you know, what do I want to do?
Speaker: Quickly choose a degree.
Speaker: And I think I did have a little bit of pressure put on me by my parents.
Speaker: Like I had to start uni straight away.
Speaker: There was no, I wasn't really allowed to have, take a gap year.
Speaker: And I wish I did that.
Speaker: Took my time, went travelling and just, yeah, experienced the world a little bit more before jumping straight into this career, I think.
Speaker: Yeah, yeah.
Speaker: There's so much pressure put on at 18, isn't there?
Speaker: It's like you just... Sure.
Speaker: You think that your ATAR is everything and it's like...
Speaker: I look back now, 33 next month, and it feels like a lifetime ago leaving school.
Speaker: I left school in 16, not 16, not 18, but it's a whole other life, really.
Speaker: Yeah, I know.
Speaker: It's crazy.
Speaker: So many different opportunities and so many cool things you can do.
Speaker: And, you know, if things don't end up working out, you always got other opportunities that you can –
Speaker: fall back on hopefully and just try different things.
Speaker: Exactly.
Speaker: You have so much time to figure it out.
Speaker: And what about you, Matilda?
Speaker: Piggybacking off what Emily said and what you just said, I think, you know, you go through so many changes from, you know, your teens to your early 20s to your mid-20s to your late 20s and I'm coming into my 30s now and I feel like I'm, you know, such a different person, you know, than I was 10 years ago and I think, you know, you grow with confidence, with age and, yeah, just –
Speaker: to not put too much pressure on yourself you will figure it out and yeah you just change so much you know every sort of few years you ebb and flow and um i think just take it as it comes and try not to put too much pressure on yourself absolutely and like and what you're all already doing i mean it's just incredible so um i just say keep going girls just get better someone who's got a few extra you know just keep going it just literally does get better so
Speaker: I'm just going to go off script quickly.
Speaker: What are the top three things that you find on the field as paramedics or when you're doing your courses that people ask you about?
Speaker: What are the top three first aid tips that you can quickly talk about now?
Speaker: People listening at home can kind of get a bit of an insight of learning some new skills that they've never heard before.
Speaker: One thing I think is a big one, mainly with little kids.
Speaker: So people tend to shiver sometimes when they have a fever and it's not because they're cold.
Speaker: It's just the weird, you know, by-product of a fever in some people.
Speaker: And a lot of times parents mistake when kids have a, kids are shivering that they're really cold.
Speaker: So they'll wrap them up in so many blankets and layers and they'll hand us this child at the front door who's just overheating.
Speaker: So I think, yeah, not just to get confused by
Speaker: If they're shivering, make sure you're actually touching their skin.
Speaker: You know, the back of the neck is a really good place to feel before you add or subtract any layers because, you know, you can make your kid a little bit sicker than they already are.
Speaker: That's a big one.
Speaker: Another one I think would be accidental poisonings happen a lot as well.
Speaker: I think.
Speaker: You know, people don't realize it's as common as it is, but we've been to a lot of jobs, you know, where kids, little toddlers have access, you know, the chemicals under the sink or alcohol that's been left within their reach or medication packets that have been left out.
Speaker: And
Speaker: It's really just due to complacency.
Speaker: We just really need to be vigilant.
Speaker: If you have little kids around where you're putting all your medications, where you're storing all your chemicals and everything, because they're curious little things.
Speaker: They love opening cupboards and they love opening bottles and everything like that.
Speaker: So you just got to be really, really careful.
Speaker: Yeah, brilliant advice.
Speaker: Emily, have you got one?
Speaker: Yeah, one would be when it comes to falls.
Speaker: So as a general rule, no matter how the child or adult is presenting after a fall, if your child falls more than twice their own height,
Speaker: that is a medical emergency and they need to be seen by a doctor immediately.
Speaker: So I would be calling an ambulance for that.
Speaker: And that's the same for an adult that is over three metres.
Speaker: So any fall over three metres needs urgent medical attention.
Speaker: Yeah, that mechanism is just...
Speaker: Huge and conclusive.
Speaker: Huge, exactly.
Speaker: Yep, even if they're acting fine, they could have a delayed head injury or something like that or other internal injuries that you may not be able to see immediately.
Speaker: So more than twice a child's height or over three metres for an adult.
Speaker: And you know what, the way you just described that is really easy to relate as a person, you know, twice the height is like very easy to understand and, you know, to make a judgment.
Speaker: Yeah, so for like a child, that could be.
Speaker: off a change table.
Speaker: So when you're changing your baby, always have one hand.
Speaker: They learn to roll so quickly and when they do, it happens so quickly.
Speaker: So if you're reaching for something, put one hand on your baby whilst you're doing what you need to do.
Speaker: That could also be off play equipment.
Speaker: Lots of play equipment are just not age appropriate for all ages.
Speaker: So
Speaker: that um kitchen benches or you know of like a table or something like that i think the change table i had a little cousin do exactly that roll off his change table broken leg it happens a lot more than you would think yeah nine months old literally horrified mom absolutely distraught so yeah um but he's he's good today yeah good he's good today oh
Speaker: So again, towards the back end of the podcast, it's been an awesome chat and I know a lot of people got to take a lot away from it.
Speaker: When you're in the ambulance or when you're doing a road trip to your home that you're going to be visiting, have you got a song each that you could add to our Live, Learn, Survive playlist?
Speaker: You know, people that we interview all over the world give us their upbeat, happy, feel good, pump up song.
Speaker: Have you guys got a song that we could add to the playlist for everyone to kind of feel good about their job to?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah, so one of our favourite songs is Vacation by Simple Plan.
Speaker: We both loved the Mary-Kate and Ashley movies growing up and we played this in the ambulance a lot when we're working together, driving to different jobs.
Speaker: Simple Plan.
Speaker: What was it?
Speaker: Vacation.
Speaker: Vacation.
Speaker: It's a banger.
Speaker: Yes, I got it.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: We've added it.
Speaker: We've added it.
Speaker: We like all different genres.
Speaker: I would say maybe like we love a bit of country, Morgan Wallen, Last Night, I would say that song.
Speaker: So Last Night.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Bye.
Speaker: Morgan Wallen.
Speaker: Yep, comes straight up.
Speaker: Perfect.
Speaker: Those two songs are added to our Live, Learn, Survive playlist.
Speaker: We'll check it out.
Speaker: I'm throwing in a random question here because I know that on the fire station with the action station at 62, we've got Country Sunday, Rock Friday, whatever it is, Wednesday.
Speaker: Jazz Monday.
Speaker: Jazz Monday, Easy Listening Tuesdays.
Speaker: Girls, do you have a theme in The Ambulance?
Speaker: We have actually a curated playlist.
Speaker: Yeah, we like a bit of everything, a bit of rap.
Speaker: It's very random.
Speaker: Well, the only genre you could think of on there.
Speaker: And we just hit shuffle when we get in the ambulance and wherever the day takes us.
Speaker: And you just think, here we go.
Speaker: Yeah, exactly.
Speaker: Always singing.
Speaker: Excellent.
Speaker: Love it.
Speaker: When will you guys be back on shift together?
Speaker: Is it a little while away with everything that's going on?
Speaker: So our youngest kids will be three months apart.
Speaker: So unfortunately, there'll be a three-month gap where we won't be working together when I return.
Speaker: So I want to know then, will you get the kids in the back of the car and just go for a ride around Sydney with the playlist on just because you miss it?
Speaker: I will.
Speaker: Absolutely.
Speaker: We'll be back working together in about a year.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: Amazing.
Speaker: I think at the fire station, myself and Piers, who I work with, he's having a little girl in October.
Speaker: Wow.
Speaker: Oh, me too.
Speaker: I'm having a little girl.
Speaker: Oh, congratulations.
Speaker: And we just found out some other news from other people around that, you know, there's other people in surrounding stations that have got little ones on the way.
Speaker: So it's exciting.
Speaker: There's something in the water in Sydney.
Speaker: There must be.
Speaker: I'm going to get out of town quick.
Speaker: I'm going to leave you.
Speaker: Birds in the vase.
Speaker: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker: I know, that shit failed.
Speaker: So, no, thank you so much, girls.
Speaker: Congratulations on everything you do, on everything that you've achieved.
Speaker: And I just, you know, will be sitting back and watching and cheering you on.
Speaker: So thanks for coming to share your story.
Speaker: Well, thank you so much.
Speaker: Thank you for having us.
Speaker: Thank you for having us.
Speaker: And, yeah, a lot of people are going to take some good stuff away from what you guys put up.
Speaker: So please, everyone that's listening to this, check out their websites, their Facebook and their Instagram.
Speaker: They do some great, brilliant videos to not only look after yourself but help others too.
Speaker: So, yeah, check it out.
Speaker: Yeah, brilliant.
Speaker: Thank you, guys.
Speaker: And everyone, have a great week.
Speaker: Take care, everyone.
Speaker: Bye.
