Robyn Neilson

[Robyn] Glen Avon Station was a beautiful property. It was 40,000 acres; we ran approximately 6,000 herd of Brahman cross breeders. Well, we were 360 kilometres from Mackay and 100 kilometres from Moranbah, and they were our two nearest towns. So, we were between 15 and 20 kilometres from our nearest neighbours. We were all getting up and just about to have breakfast, a fellow who worked for our neighbours rang and said that there'd been a terrible accident on the property, that somebody had been caught in a post hole digger and had damaged their forearm. My first question was, are they alive? The answer was, yes. Are they conscious? And I didn't receive another answer after that. I had no idea of what I was going to walk into, so I called the Royal Flying Doctor 24 hour Service, and their response was, thank God you've rung because we've had a call about this accident, but we have no idea where to go. How do we get there?

[Cliff] It was about mid-morning. I recall getting a call saying they'd been an incident on a farm in which there appear to be a traumatic amputation. We were required to be tasked to an area which was pretty remote. I quickly managed to establish that it was going to take us a minimum of two hours from wheels up to wheels on the ground, before we were going to be able to provide medical assistance. The town of Moranbah was also about two hours away by car. We'd made contact with the local general practitioner and activated him, and we got hold of the rescue helicopter service out of Mackay 'cause I knew that the flying distance from Mackay would also be roundabout two hours, but could they get there before we got there to render support?

[Robyn] The impact of what I saw was horrific. I saw blood on the ground and then I then followed the trail of blood to the house, and I found my neighbour lying on the bed in the spare room, only semi-conscious. I was absolutely shocked, physically and mentally shocked. There was a sheet right up to the neck, the husband and the worker walked in at that time and the worker started to tell me about the injuries to the arm, and he was whispering to me that the arm was completely gone. The emotions with the injury being attached to somebody that you know, and care for, and respect, and work with, compound the impact that it has on the first responder. Her life was in my hands, I had to do everything that I could to sustain her until they got there. I snapped into what we used to call intensive care mode. Now, it had been 20 years since I'd practise clinically but it's a bit like riding a bike. I knew what I needed to do. After I clamped the blood vessels and they appeared to have clotted, I very gently rolled them over an ice cube. Most of the bleeding stopped. The only way that I could hydrate her was to ask her to follow my prompts, she was in and out of consciousness. I put my finger into her cheek and I made a pocket in her cheek, and I trickled water down into her cheek, and then I asked her to swallow. And over a period of two hours, I was able to administer about 450 mls of water to her, which was life-saving, yes, without that she would not have survived either. I called the Royal Flying Doctor Service number, and I gave them my assessment. Based on the information that I had given them they did not expect her to survive. I got a fairly big lump in my throat at that stage.

[Cliff] When I arrived at the scene, I felt as if I'd known Robyn my whole life. She remained constantly part of the rescue operation, and there is no doubt in my mind that the only reason the patient was alive still, was because of the care that Robyn had provided, as well as trying to provide some sense of calm in a situation in which was really chaotic and traumatic. Once we evacuated, that was the first time the reality was going to set in and as to the gravity of the situation.

[Robyn] I thought, I'm fine, but as soon as they left it was like this invisible wall went up around that room, I couldn't move. I was sort of frozen and I looked around the room and I thought, wow, did that really just happen or am I waking up from a dream? This is surreal. I don't remember how I got home, but I did get home and I remember having a discussion with my husband about the fact that the children were coming home from boarding school that afternoon. About 15 minutes after he left to go pick them up, I started to vomit, and just uncontrollably vomit and cry for no apparent reason. And I didn't know at the time, but that was the beginning of post-traumatic stress disorder.

[Sam] At the time, the way that I saw it as a teen was, ahh you know, understandable. It had been a big shocking event and our neighbour was a friend of ours, I perceived that as just being emotional about an impact that it had had on a friend and less so the impact that it had had on mum. Now, as a doctor and clinician, it's much easier to understand the impact that it has had on her. I think she went through a really acute stress response. It's a really unique situation to be in as a first responder in that instance, umm ahh and you know a lot of the focus is obviously on the patient and less so on the people that go through that process with the patient.

[Robyn] No, I couldn't talk about it. I didn't talk about it. All I could do was- I couldn't talk, umm I just cried, and the best thing they could do for me was hug me, which they did because they'd never seen mum like that. Mum was always the doer, she was the one who took control when things went wrong and I think it really shocked them to see me in that emotional state, particularly because I didn't understand what was happening to me, and I was able to say that to them, I don't know what's going on here.

[Nicole] Work related trauma really has a ripple effect. For most of us, that level of distress will decrease over time and revert back to a normal level of functioning. Post-traumatic stress is different in that it's more enduring, and a person is gonna experience ongoing distress and impact on functioning beyond a four week period, or a month. It's really important to learn about trauma and learn about normal responses. Listening is really important as well, and to offer practical help, and that practical help might be assisting that person to seek professional help and also just allowing the person time to adapt.

[Robyn] When the psychiatrist, who was the RFDS trauma counsellor, told me that I had post-traumatic stress disorder I could not understand it. Her explanation as to why I was so severely impacted was, number one, the lady was a neighbour and a friend of mine. The second thing was that I had been totally responsible for her life for what was considered a very long time, and that was two hours. Thirdly, that I had to really, really suppress all my emotions simply to be able to function. That has a massive impact. I think it's absolutely vital that everybody on rural cattle properties has their first aid certificate and that they practise it until it becomes second nature, because if it's not second nature, when you're called to do it, you'll freeze. It's really vital that machine guards are not taken off. If they're taken off for servicing, they must be replaced, or look for alternative machinery. Knowing the coordinates of the nearest airstrip is absolutely vital. I think a really big thing that I ask people now when I hear them talking about a near miss is, so if that wasn't a near miss and it was a catastrophe, do you have an evacuation plan? How will you tell emergency services how to get here? Where will they go? What will they use? Knowing your location is absolutely vital to a quick response from emergency services. And when you hear people working on your property say, we've always done it like that, my question to you is, if you're not prepared to be a first responder in a critical situation, then whose life are you prepared to sacrifice?

[Fiona] Robyn's message is very, very clear and really, it's the same as the message that we have with Workplace Health and Safety, Queensland. We want people to stop and think about their workplace, their workplace environment, put good steps in place to prevent a workplace incident, but also be so prepared that if one happens you know how to respond and respond properly. To minimise the risk of a workplace incident we need to ensure that our workplace environment can be as safe as it possibly can be. That means we have to have well-designed equipment that is properly maintained and only used for its intended purpose. When we're looking at the people using the equipment, we have to make sure they've got the right skillset to do the job properly. When we're looking at workplace environment, it's not just about if it's hot or if it's cold, it's all about that supportive environment. So, if I'm doing a job and I don't know how to do it properly, I know who to reach out to and say, mate, I need a hand. That is so critical. We need those supportive workplace environments which support good learning and good practise.

[Cliff] The first is that each person who lives on a rural property has a plan to say, in the case of a medical emergency, who do we call? What are our coordinates? Where is the nearest landing strip? Where is the closest medical outpost where I could potentially activate medical help? Are we in distance of a road transport emergency service? The exact coordinates are really, really important. Secondly is access to properties. How easy it is to unlock a gate. Is there a padlock on a gate? Is my property signposted and numbered easily enough to be seen? Are there any specific directions that need to be given? Are the roads actually named? Properties that have got RFDS landing strips, are these landing strips being inspected on a regular basis to ensure that they are safe to land on? And then, lastly is that constant ability to communicate. Where's your closest neighbour? Because that might be your first port of call, the next person that can provide you with emergency assistance.

[Fiona] When there's an incident in a rural community, it has a ripple effect through the whole community. It's not just the injured person, it's the first responders and all of those community members who rally around, and one thing the agriculture industry is really good at doing is rallying around.

[Cliff] Robyn has become an advocate for rural and farm safety. She's become a huge advocate in ensuring that people that live on the land have an evacuation plan, have a medical plan. And she's not only influenced many, many communities, she's influenced her entire family.

[Sam] Personally, I did go into medicine because of this incident. Even now, as a trained clinician, I don't know whether I would have responded the same way that she did. I'm very proud of the way in which she has taken a very challenging situation for herself and transformed it into such a wide reaching lesson to prevent that happening to someone else's family member, who may not be fortunate enough to have my mother living next door.

[Robyn] I think before people are prepared to become prepared for the unexpected, they have to see safety as a very serious issue. Everybody can save a life, and preparedness is absolutely vital.

“Stunned silence while she was talking, and a lot of questions afterwards. Positive spontaneous feedback from quite a few students. This was an email from one student: "I was very moved and inspired by her story, especially as I have grown up in a rural area and have been involved in situations that are not dissimilar to those described by Robyn. Thank you!"

- James Cook University, College of Medicine and Dentistry

“The team really enjoyed Robyn’s presentation and it left them thinking about how a serious incident can impact them.”

- Mort & Co, Pinegrove Feedlot

“Robyn delivers a powerful message. Even a highly specialised doctor in the room organised first aid courses for his immediate family for Christmas as a result.”

- Athol Carter, Frasers Livestock Transport

“Robyn taught us how the small things add up and can be the point of difference on the final outcome plus the importance of practice.”

- John O’Kane, Colinta Holdings

_{Robyn presenting to the Colinta Holdings team}

“I think the emotional impact had the greatest effect. One person has said to me they changed one thing to be safer which was great to hear.”

- Simon Kensit, Australian Agricultural Company

_{Robyn speaking to the AACo team}

“Audiences members were visibly moved by Robyn’s presentation and several reported that hers was the best Safety Advocate presentation they had seen, by far.”

- Mimosa Mulvogue, University of Queensland

_{Robyn presenting at University of Queensland}

“Thank you Robyn, the students and staff of St Brendan's College were moved by your story and I'm sure the strategies you shared to be prepared for emergency situations will assist these young men for years to come. Your preparation and efforts to get to know the audience and tailoring your messages to suit the demographic were key in keeping the audience captivated, well done!”

- Rebecca Picoto, St Brendan’s College

_{Robyn speaking to St Brendan’s College}

“Robyn's talk was very relevant to our industry and the staff were able to relate to her story and circumstances. Our business has since updated first aid kits and have clear instructions for contacting emergency services in close proximity to phones.”

- Brenton Watterson, Australian Agricultural Company

• “[Robyn was] magnificent and provided great information to take away.”
• “Having safety advocates is a great approach and really hits home and makes it real for all in attendance.”
• “Robyn – very emotional, powerful, simply life changing! Wow.”
• “[Robyn was] very good and very engaging.”
• “The real-life stories and the tips were very good. I work in safety and taking safety outside of work and into family life (like Robyn did) really hit me.”
• “Robyn’s story was very engaging.”
• “Robyn brought me and my work colleague to tears. She took us on a powerful emotional ride, that will make us do more at home and work to 'prepare for the unexpected'.”
• “Today's speakers were fantastic and the emotional link/attachments that Nigel and Robyn made in their presentations were exceptionally so.”

- Post-event survey comments, Work Well Breakfast Forums 2022

_{Robyn Neilson presenting at the Work Well Breakfast Forum in Toowoomba}

• “Excellent message on preparedness and practicing drill and skills of first aid.”
• “Great message.”
• “Great presentation.”
• “Really appreciated the reminder about being prepared and the importance of first aid training.”
• “Important for all of us at home and at work.”
• “Incredible story, real lessons that everyone can implement.”
• “Inspirational, valued speaker.”
• “Loved this presentation. Honest and straightforward.”
• “So heartfelt and very thoughtful provoking.”
• “This left a lasting impact on me - Robyn did a great job of sharing her story and giving us some key messages to take away. I have since shared Robyn's story with many others in my circle and have started a conversation with my partner about how we can be more prepared at home.”
• “This presentation was incredible, a very touching story with a very powerful message.”
• “Truly inspiring story and really emphasises the importance of being prepared.”
• “Very good story.”
• “Very moving, powerful and relevant. I've already booked to redo my first aid certificate!”
• “Very powerful story. A lot of good lessons in regards to being prepared.”
• “Very relevant for my industry and we’ve followed Robyn’s advice.”

- Post-event survey comments, North Queensland Work Well Conference 2022

Leave a comment for Robyn Neilson.

Thank goodness there was a Robyn there on the day of the incident. The most powerful words for me were "if you're not prepared to be a first responder in a critical situation, then whose life are you prepared to sacrifice?" The safety message probably shouldn't just be for rural properties. We should all know some of the points made i.e. an emergency script, nearest crossroad, nearest medical centre, property details, having a safety plan in place and that everyone knows how to respond. Robyn, thank you for having the courage to share your story with us.
Janice

Well done Robyn on your heroic efforts in saving your neighbour's life. Your safety message is certainly powerful and I hope that it will be seen in the wider rural/agricultural industry – as I know, there are so many people out there that are not prepared and would not be able to act calmly and efficiently in an emergency, which can and will have impacts on all those involved. Well done and thank you.
Michelle

A lot of practical advice in the case of an emergency. So many people in the bush don’t realise how difficult it is for emergency people to locate you. A very professionally produced documentary. Well done Robyn.
Robert

I heard you talk at an AgSafe conference a few years ago and spoke briefly to you afterwards. I was impressed then and am further impressed by you and your son talking about PTSD on this video. Please keep up the good work on emergency preparedness and dealing with PTSD
W.V.

Thank you for sharing your story Robyn and thank you for all you did for your neighbours. You are a true hero of the bush! Very moving and thought provoking story.
Barbara

Thanks for sharing your story. I often wondered who the RN was, that attended, and kept her neighbour alive. Your assistance to providing help, and knowledge of work health and safety in the agricultural industry will be paramount. Thanks for your contribution to saving lives, and preparing those faced with accidents and injuries.
Carol

This is a really powerful and wonderful safety story. Well done!
Liv

Robyn's story is very powerful. It is so important to be prepared for anything that could happen.
Alex

Robyn’s film drew me in right from the start through to her closing message – anyone can save a life, but preparedness is vital. Crucial messaging to not only the rural community that we all have the potential to be a first responder and someone’s life could depend on you.
Michelle

Workplace visits

Your business can apply for Robyn or another of Queensland's Safety Advocates to attend your event and share their story to increase awareness and influence behaviour change, free of charge.

Her life in my hands - The Robyn Neilson story

• Download a copy of this film (ZIP/MP4, 56MB)
• Order your free copies of Robyn’s film via safe@oir.qld.gov.au.

Consultative committee for work-related fatalities and serious incidents

If you have suffered as a result of a work-related fatality or serious injury, you can direct message a request to join a closed support group via our Support for families of workplace fatalities, illness and injuries Facebook page.

Mental health

Support services for workplaces:

• The Royal Flying Doctor Service – Mental Health and Wellbeing
• Rural Minds
• Small talk Big Difference
• Lifeline
• Beyond Blue
• Rural Financial Counselling Service Southern Queensland
• Rural Financial Counselling Service Northern Queensland
• Employee Assistance Professional Association of Australasia
• 24-hour specialist mental healthcare access line – 1300 MH CALL (1300 642255)