Central West summers can go from pleasant to brutal very quickly. One week it's cool mornings in Bathurst, the next it's 38 degrees with a hot westerly and no shade on the job site. As paramedics, we see the same pattern every year: the first few hot days catch people out, because nobody has adjusted yet. Heat illness is very preventable, and when it does happen, what you do in the first few minutes makes a real difference. Here's what we'd want you to know before summer properly kicks in....

Farms are workplaces unlike any other. You might be operating heavy machinery in the morning, fixing a fence in the afternoon, handling livestock before dinner and then heading back out to check a water trough after dark. The work is physical, unpredictable and often carried out a long way from immediate medical assistance. That is why first aid for farmers is so important. On a rural property, the person providing first aid is often not a colleague standing a few metres away. It might be a...

From weekend junior rugby leagues in Shellharbour and Saturday morning netball courts in Wollongong, to school PE classes in Kiama, sport and outdoor recreation are central to life across the Illawarra. While contact sports, surfing, playground games, and outdoor activities keep our kids active and healthy, they also carry an inherent risk of head injuries. Knowing how to spot a concussion early—and responding quickly—can make all the difference in a young person’s recovery. What Is a...