Survive First Aid is a leading provider of Remote Area First Aid and Wilderness First Aid Courses within Australia. As a Registered Training Organisations we award participants Nationally Recognised Units of Competency and are able to design courses to suit client needs. Founded to provide quality, tailored training every staff member has a passion for education and believes in what we do.
The Team
Survive First Aid is exceptionally proud of its ‘Team of Staff’ who are the face of our company, and with whom the success of our Training is dependent. All of our staff have a current Certificate IV in Training and Assessing (TAE40116) and are committed to providing a great learning environment that takes into account adult learning principles.
The background of our staff and trainers is broad and varied, including Teachers, Outdoor Leaders, Adventure Guides, Expedition Medics, Paramedics, Nurses, Mums, Dads, Adventure Enthusiasts and they have all worked in a variety of roles and a variety of companies.With expertise in First Aid, Emergency Response, Teaching, Paramedical Science, Outdoor Education, Overseas Expeditions, Diving, Climbing, Mountaineering, Kayaking, Rafting, Skiing, Search and Rescue, and Risk Management, we’re able to individualise the training and make it not just your average course.
Adam - Owner/Trainer
Adam is an Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) and an Associate Fellow of The Academy of Extreme Environment Medicine. He has been leading expeditions within Australia, New Zealand, S.E Asia, South America, Asia and Central Asia for over 20 years.
He is the owner of Survive First Aid and when he is not working as a Trainer for Survive or running the business he also works as a Trainer in Outdoor Leadership at TAFE and as a Medic in Remote and Wilderness Locations.
He loves adventure travel, is an avid skier and mountain biker and would really like to be a better surfer!
Leah - Student Support Manager
Leah is our student support manager who is your main point of contact through the enrolment process, and helps with any questions you have prior to or post the course.
As a qualified Trainer and Assessor as well Leah understand the courses really well and provides an invaluable service to all our participants who complete a course with Survive.
Leah is the glue that holds it all together whilst the Trainers travel about delivering the courses.
Nathan - Trainer
Nathan has spent the majority of his adult life on the road and in the outdoors- either travelling, guiding expeditions or working in Outdoor Education. Somewhere along the line he decided a change of career was needed and he became a Paramedic- working in metro, rural and austere settings for the past 10 years.
He is the Founder of Backpacker Medics, an avid mountain biker, a life-long surfer, and coffee-nut.
Nathan is our trainer based in Tasmania but also travels interstate to deliver courses
Manna - Trainer
Manna is a Registered Nurse with 20 years of acute experience across Trauma, Orthopaedics and Neuroscience specialties, and many years of Nursing Education. She currently works as a Medic providing specialist medical support at trail, mountain and ultra marathons in remote and wilderness areas; and in the field of elite Sports Medicine.
When she’s not driving her kids to various sporting activities, Manna hikes and runs with her needy kelpie or less needy trail buddies, teaches her kids to water-ski and tries to convince her husband that camping is fun.
Ben - Trainer
Ben is an Outdoor Educator with over 10 years of experience leading expeditions both here in Australia and across South East Asia. Ben is currently the Safety & Quality Manager with Operation Flinders in South Australia and has extensive experience in working with marginalised and vulnerable young people in outdoor environments.
Ben is a trainer/assessor for the AusCycling Mountain Bike courses, as well as a Bushwalking, Paddling and Snorkelling Instructor. He has a Cert IV in Outdoor Recreation and is about to complete a Masters in Teaching. Ben also volunteers with SA Ambulance and the SA Country Fire Service.
Dave - Trainer
Dave has been working as a professional paramedic for over 15yrs in both a metropolitan based emergency ambulance service and on remote mining contracts. His latest adventure has him working on a Retrieval Helicopter in North West WA.
Recently he has found the passion for passing on his knowledge to like minded outdoor loving humans.
When not at work he spends his time in the South West of Australia mountain biking, trail running, free diving and he takes it upon himself to personally keep an eye on the quality of the local grape juice industry!
Dave is one of our trainers in WA.
Joe - Trainer
Joe is a freediver, surfer, sailor, paramedic, nutrition/lifestyle consultant and offshore survival trainer. His passion is to enhance everyone’s understanding of the ocean, and as a result, how we interact with it.
He has worked within the Royal Australian Navy as a Medic, in the offshore industry as a medic, trainer and HSE officer, as a safety diver for international freediving competitions and for Sea Shepherd Global.
He currently runs his own company called One Ocean International which offers ocean safety training and medical support.
Joe is our main trainer in WA.
Cat - Trainer
Struggling to choose between the mountains and the sea, Cat spends her life becoming better acquainted with both.
After starting out as a social worker, Cat’s belief in adventure therapy opened up the world of outdoor education. After sharing her years between World Challenge expeditions and riding the French Alps, it was time to settle down for a few years and become a paramedic. Cat works now with Ambulance Victoria.
If it’s outside and wet, or high and dry, so long as it’s exciting, she’s happy!
Cat is based in Victoria and helps out as much as she can
Ryan - Trainer
Ryan is an ALS Paramedic working in the South East of Melbourne and has spent the last several years building experience in Ambulance. He is now studying a Masters of Critical Care and is a fellowship candidate with the Academy of Extreme Environment Medicine.
He has a passion for the outdoors and specifically alpine environments and is now trying to combines his Paramedic skills and his outdoor passions to be the focus for his career.
Ryan helps Survive as much as he can and when he isn't working can be found climbing, mountain biking, snowboarding or hiking in his spare time.
Hope to see you all out there!
Simon - Trainer
Simon is a qualified ALS Victorian paramedic based in Geelong, with a variety of experiences in the education sector. Prior to becoming a paramedic Simon worked in outdoor education as a guide and as a qualified teacher.
Working for survive has provided simon with a lifestyle that allows some of his work passions and interests to combine and enjoys being a part of the evolving conversations in wilderness first aid and medicine.
Simon has been a part of Survive since the start and continues to help out when he can.
Beck - Trainer
Beck is a Registered Nurse who currently works in emergency departments in tiny country towns and surgical wards in city hospitals depending on her mood.
Currently loving the hell out of volunteering in strange places with Backpacker Medics, Beck is also on her own adventure working and travelling around Australia and so who know where she will pop up!
Adam (Adsy) - Trainer
Adam began his career in the Outdoors in 2006 guiding in remote areas of Victoria and New South Wales prior to working as a Paramedic in Western Australia and now Victoria.
Adam enjoys an adventure with a keen passion for multi day paddling trips which has taken him down rivers around Australia and far flung corners off the globe.
Adam is based in Gippsland Victoria as an ALS Paramedic and trains for Survive when he can.
Kate - Psychologist
Kate is an accomplished clinical and performance psychologist with over 15 years’ practical and theoretical experience. As a psychologist, coach and trainer, she has worked with elite sporting teams, corporate leaders, members of Australia’s Special Forces and television personnel.
Kate’s passions lie in the outdoors; climbing, hiking, mountaineering and just generally exploring new areas.
Bringing together her professional background and working in remote environments, Kate and Survive collaboratively developed the ACCE Psychological First Aid training, which is now being rolled out to international audiences.