Governance
Railway First Aid Volunteers Board of Directors are senior executives of Aurizon and Queensland Rail who hold key positions in heath, safety and environment and training. Our directors are passionate about the history of the Railway First Aid Volunteers movement and ensuring that its members continue to provide first aid services to those in need. Our directors are:
Vicky Andrews
Joining the Royal Australian Airforce in 1987 Vicky obtained a broad range of qualifications including Indonesian linguistics, basic civil flying training followed by Air Traffic Control, Operations and Education Officer. With Tertiary qualifications in operations, business management, teaching, coaching, aviation and intelligence Vicky is an extremely accountable; results oriented motivator, educator and trainer. In 2006 Vicky joined Yellow Edge, a learning, leadership company as the Principle consultant and facilitator and within a year took over as the Executive Director Queensland. Vicky developed new product lines, facilitated Executive Level Leadership programs to Federal Government Agencies as well introducing an extensive online learning library and web 2 technologies to many National Clients.
Vicky has facilitated workshops and programs for Flight Centre, Customs, Dept of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries, Attorney Generals Department, Australian Crime Commission, Dept of Defence, QLD Dept of Health, Education and Housing specialising in process mapping, project and risk management.
Currently the Training Manager with Aurizon, Vicky is studying a Masters in Operations Management program through CQU. Vicky hopes to continue her career within Aurizon moving into operational excellence whilst holding board positions which support her values and interests.
John Bates
John is a professional work health & safety generalist with a range of strategic and specialist skills with 30 years corporate and operational rail industry experience. Since joining Queensland Rail in 1983 John has obtained a broad range of experience including shunting and rail operations followed by sixteen years in numerous learning and development roles.
For the last five years, John has worked in the corporate safety area of Queensland Rail. With qualifications in training, safety and management John is a valuable asset. Currently the WHS Coordinator for Queensland Rail, John is completing a Diploma of Management through St John Ambulance (Qld).
John has been involved with the voluntary first aid movement in the rail industry since 1997 and is a qualified first aid trainer/assessor.
In order to maintain his own skills John has competed in first aid challenges. Since 2005 John has been the chairman of the Railway First Aid Volunteers State Committee. In 2007 John was presented with the St John Ambulance Priory Vote of Thanks. John went on to win the prestigious Thallon Gold Medal in 2010. John is a 6th degree International Black Belt Taekwon-Do Instructor with Bai Rui Taekwon-Do, is a board member with the Australian Taekwon-Do Alliance and understands the benefits that first aid capability and Taekwon-Do can bring to workplaces and the community.
David Oliver
David is a highly experienced, qualified and driven senior executive and strategist with proven capacity and passion to inspire and lead large teams. David’s professional background is primarily in the container shipping industry but also has an understanding and appreciation of all stakeholders and activities involved in the shipment management process including, but not limited to, transport/logistics operations, depots, terminals and ports.
David holds a Bachelor Degree in Business/Commerce, and has a keen interest in leadership coaching, assisting corporations and developing individuals with the skills for dealing with transformation and change.
David joined the board on the 15 September 2014.
Dave McMah
Dave McMah has 36-years’ rail experience in Aurizon holding a range of senior management roles across Operations. His present responsibilities include Aurizon's rail regulatory licences to operate, SHE Management Systems as well as Enterprise Security and Business Resilience.
Dave joined the board on the 14 December 2016
Tristan Barns
Tristan joined the board on the 19 June 2018.
Photo and Bio to follow
Inaugural Director - Neil Backer 2012 to 2016
Neil has more than 30 years’ strategic and operational experience in the Australian rail industry. Over his extensive career with Aurizon and Queensland Rail he has held a range of senior leadership roles across the freight and passenger businesses including as Group General Manager of Regional Freight and Group Business Operations Manager of Passenger Services.
Inaugural Director - Christopher Miers 2012 to 2017
Christopher Miers is a qualified Lawyer within the jurisdictions of Australia, England and Wales. Christopher is a Senior Lawyer within Queensland Rail specialising in Corporate Governance and Commercial and Contracts Law. Prior to joining Queensland Rail Christopher has held senior legal positions within a number of major global organisations, as well as working with various large private practice firms.
Christopher is also an Accredited Mediator in both Australia and the United Kingdom. He holds a Bachelor of Business, Bachelor of Laws and Masters Degree of Laws. Christopher is currently studying with Chartered Secretaries Australia to obtain qualifications as a Company Secretary.
As well as Christopher’s legal experience, he has over 5 years experience within a commercial capacity within Australia and overseas, holding a range of management and commercial positions with various global financial companies.
Christopher is also a member of a number of organisations including, Queensland Law Society, Law Society of England and Wales, Australian Corporate Lawyers Association, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), Australian Mediation Association and Chartered Secretaries Australia.
Christopher’s aim is to bring his legal and commercial experience to the Board of Railway First Aid Volunteers with the intent of strategically guiding and building upon the organisation’s current positive profile, while maintaining the close ties between the Railway First Aid Volunteers and the wider public domain.
Being a qualified first aid person (completing the Railway First Aid Volunteers program) as well as being one of the first aid wardens at Queensland Rail, Christopher understands and appreciates the hard work of each member of the Railway First Aid Volunteers, and what benefits these services can bring to the community.
Governance Information
A copy of Railway First Aid Volunteers constitution is available here
A copy of Railway First Aid Volunteers Board Charter is available here.
The following are the dates and locations of the first aid challenges and reaccreditation of first aid competences for 2015.
TBA
South Western District First Aid Challenge – Toowoomba First Aid Hall
6 July 2015
Brisbane Local First Aid Challenge – Brisbane CBD Railcentre 1 after 5pm (reaccreditation not offered)
15 July 2015
Ipswich/Redbank Local First Aid Challenge – Scout's Hall, Booval after 5pm (reaccreditation not offered)
22 & 23 July 2015
Souther Eastern District First Aid Challenge - QRI Banjos Ipswich after 8 am.
13 & 14 August 2015
Central Queensland District First Aid Challenge – Bluff
TBC
North Coast District Local First Aid Challenge/Reaccreditation Day – Bundaberg venue TBC
18 & 19 August 2015
North Queensland District First Aid Challenge – Townsville
14 & 15 October 2015
State Final Rockhampton – Rockhampton venue TBA (reaccreditation not offered)
Forms
RFAV Individual Nomination Form
On the 15 & 16 October 2014 the Railway First Aid Volunteers hosted the First Aid Incident Response Challenge State Final in Redbank.
The Railway First Aid Volunteers have been conducting First Aid Challenges in The Rail Industry (Qld) for 100 years.
First Aiders and First Aid Trainer/Assessors used the two day event to develop their first aid knowledge and skills.
Queensland Rail's Bundaberg A team gained the highest overall points to be crowned state champions for 2014.
The competition was tight with Aurizon teams Redbank Wild Hogs placed second and the 2013 state champions Jilambos placed third.
The win means the Bundaberg A team regain the Silver Challenge Shield which they last won in 2011.
Bundaberg A team captain Peter Brown also won the individual event against strong competition. Peter Brown was presented with the St John Ambulance Challenge Cup for this achievement.
The event could not have happened without the support provided by the following organisations:
• Aurizon
• Blackwoods
• ENW Electrical Wholesale & Energy Solutions
• The KB Group
• QRI Lifestyle
• Queensland Rail
• Railways Credit Union
• RT Health Fund, and
• St John Ambulance Australia (Qld).
Thank you to all those who were able to attend the challenge making it a huge success and to our volunteers and retirees for their time over the course of the two days.
Gary Crook was awarded the J.L. (Leo) Mason Cup for his contribution to the Railway First Aid Volunteers during 2013/2014.
The State Committee are currently working on the dates and locations for the 2015 challenges.
2014 winners and Results are:
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2014 Bundaberg A Team State Championship |
2014 Peter Brown Individual State Champion |
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2014 - Jilambos Team 2014 |
2014 - Redbank Wild Hogs |
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2014 Bundaberg A RT Health Safety Award |
100 Year Cake |
The following are the dates and locations of the first aid challenges and reaccreditation of first aid competences for 2016.
Date - TBA
South Western District First Aid Challenge – Toowoomba First Aid Hall
4 July 2016
Brisbane Local First Aid Challenge – Brisbane CBD Railcentre 1 after 5pm (reaccreditation not offered)
Date - TBA
Ipswich/Redbank Local First Aid Challenge – Scout's Hall, Booval after 5pm (reaccreditation not offered)
20 & 21 July 2016
Southern Eastern District First Aid Challenge - QRI Banjos Ipswich after 8 am.
18 & 19 August 2016
Central Queensland District First Aid Challenge – Sarina
Date - TBC
North Coast District Local First Aid Challenge/Reaccreditation Day – Bundaberg venue TBC
23 & 24 August 2016 TBC
North Queensland District First Aid Challenge – Townsville venue TBC
12 & 13 October 2016
State Final Bundaberg – Across The Waves Sporting Complex. Thabeban Street, Bundaberg (reaccreditation not offered)
2016 Forms
RFAV Individual Nomination Form
The following are the dates and locations of the first aid challenges and reaccreditation of first aid competences for 2017.
25 & 26 October 2017
State Final Brisbane – SEQ Venue TBA (reaccreditation not offered)