In an interview with Michelle Dubrowin, Leon Landau, CEO of Community First Responders Australia (CFRA), shared his journey and insights into emergency response. Landau has a rich background in both corporate IT and emergency services, having spent 20 years in corporate IT, 21 years as a volunteer emergency responder, 5 years as General and Operations Manager at Hatzolah, and the past two years as CEO of CFRA.
Throughout his career in community medical response, Landau has identified three key principles:
Disempowerment Leads to Poor Outcomes: Communities and individuals who rely solely on external help for recognizing and managing emergencies tend to experience worse outcomes. This highlights the importance of self-reliance and awareness in emergency situations.
Collaboration Enhances Results: Optimal outcomes in emergency situations are achievable through collaboration. Bringing together various stakeholders, including medical professionals, volunteers, and community members, creates a more effective response network.
Building Community Through Emergency Response: Community Emergency Response is not only about addressing emergencies but also serves as a powerful tool for building community, breaking down social barriers, and fostering inclusivity and acceptance.
These insights have shaped the mission of CFRA, which aims to enhance community resilience and save lives through improved emergency response. The organization focuses on educating and empowering communities, especially those facing significant barriers to accessing emergency care, to recognize and manage emergencies more effectively. By doing so, CFRA seeks to create stronger, more inclusive, and better-prepared communities.
Additionally, CFRA goes through 40 bras a week when facilitating training and is currently in need of bras in sizes D and above, as well as t-shirts. If you can help, please contact them through their website at cfra.org.au.
During the interview, Landau also mentioned the GoodSAM app, a platform designed to alert those with medical training to nearby emergencies, allowing for faster response times. More information about the app can be found at goodsamapp.org.
Published Date: Sept 22nd, 2024
