St John Ambulance services is currently carrying out a refreshed Advanced Safe Driver training course for new recruits; a significant upgrade to the previous emergency driver training program. The emergency driver course covers everything from end-user vehicle maintenance, to emergency driving techniques, low-risk defensive driving skills, and hazard perception training. The training focuses on safe driver practices in emergency response. The aim is to equip ambulance officers with the skills to reach patients promptly and most imperative, keeping patients, passengers and other road users safe. Ambulance Education Commander, Alexander Dimain stated that this training course which is internationally acclaimed gives all ambulance drivers safe driving practices and create more awareness when carrying out their job. “For this training, we are using the IPSGAR which is, Information, Position, Speed, Gear and Acceleration which basically gives our ambulance drivers and those that are working on the frontline, safe driving practices so that in turn creates a more comfortable and efficient drive for our patients and in turn provides safer driving experience for our drivers as well.” This advanced training is crucial for enhancing the safety of SJA emergency responses. The Foundational Emergency Driver Course is a comprehensive rework of our basic training, incorporating modern practices and techniques for effective and safe ambulance driving. “We are thrilled to deliver this internationally acclaimed course locally, integrating it within our new recruit training for all ambulance staff.” According to Dimain, this training helps each driver to be better aware of their surrounding and how they are driving with the use of lights and siren as it means a higher priority when responding within a certain standard respond time for life threatening emergencies. “This is the whole purpose; to create a safe, comfortable and efficient driving and with the whole training comes with a systematic approach towards driving and how our drivers must practice safe driving whilst attending to emergencies.” All emergency drivers are not only trained on how to drive during emergency cases but are also trained clinically. In addition, the Sir Brian Bell Foundation (SBBF) generously funded the initial "train the trainer" program, bringing overseas Toyota expert driver training instructors to PNG. This support has now enabled us to localize the course, allowing our team of ambulance trainers and frontline regional managers to deliver it effectively. The National St John Ambulance Service remains committed to providing the highest quality training and service to meet the needs of all the communities we serve. For now, there are a total of six drivers currently undergoing this training as it is the first batch of trainers and from there will branch out to other centers in the country. “This training is only being carried out in NCD and from there, we’ll then send our qualified driver trainers to Lae, Kokopo and other parts of our regional centers." "After this first training, we’ll branch out as the duty of care to our patients is important.” Meanwhile, all ambulances are standardized which means that it does not require a certain type of vehicle to apply this emergency training course on as long as it does the job. And with that, Dimain stated that they are expecting a big change in terms of safety. “We are looking forward to having this training rollout and make it efficient, safe and comfortable for all our patients.”