St John Ambulance ACT

02/03/2026

February was another chock‑a‑block month at St John ACT! Full of service, skills, and impact.

Our volunteers and trainers were out across Canberra, supporting events and strengthening the capability of our community.

- 960+ people were taught vital first aid skills through our training programs.
- 980+ volunteer hours were dedicated to keeping the community safe at events.
- 24 members completed Stop the Bleed training, building confidence to control severe bleeding in emergencies.
- Our Volunteer Training Group delivered sessions on Mass Casualty Incidents, Triage, and wound care, ensuring our teams stay ready for the moments that matter most.

A huge thank you to every volunteer, trainer, and staff member who helped make February such a strong month. We’re excited to see what exciting things March brings!

10/02/2026

The Canberra Day Appeal has kicked off for another year!

St John ACT are one of the 84 local charities participating in the appeal, thanks to Hands Across Canberra for all your incredible work getting the appeal up and running again this year.

The Canberra Day Appeal is all about coming together to support the charities who support the community of Canberra. We are so fortunate to already be just over halfway to our fundraising goal of $5,000 this year. Any contribution through our fundraising page will go directly to St John ACT, helping to support our efforts in building a safe, more resilient community.

Whether it’s a volunteer providing first aid at a local event, or a parent who is now trained to respond in a crisis after completing a first aid course. Your support makes this possible.

Every donation helps us to train more people in first aid, equip volunteers with essential gear, and deliver education programs that protect the most vulnerable in our community.

You can make a difference using the link below:

https://canberra-day-appeal-2026.raiselysite.com/o/s-john-ambulance-act

05/02/2026

On Tuesday 27th January, St John ACT had the pleasure of presenting a Save a Life Award to Jo Menard.

Jo was on shift as Duty Manager at Canberra Theatre Centre when a patron went into cardiac arrest in the foyer. Jo responded immediately, initaing first aid, calling 000, asking for the AED and administering the first round of shocks. Jo's swift, composed and compassionate response ensured that life-saving first aid was delivered promptly which was instrumental in the care and survival of the patron.

Jo's actions exemplify the values we uphold at the St John and we were honoured to present them with this award.

03/02/2026

What a way to start 2026 ! Our team has kicked off the year with incredible enthusiasm, showing up for our community in every way they can.

The amazing St John ACT volunteers gave 957 hours of their time across 39 events this month. Through hot days, long nights and everything in between, our team showed up in full force (and always with a smile!) to make our community safer.

Some of the events we attend this month included:

- Canberra International Tennis
- Australian of the Year Awards
- Drone Sky Show
- Canberra United vs. Melbourne Victory

Thank you to all our volunteers for your resilience, enthusiasm, and continued dedication to making a difference. What an amazing team! 💚

27/01/2026

The mercury is soaring again this week, Canberra! High Temperatures are expected to persist through until Saturday 31st January.

Stay safe, stay cool, keep hydrated and look out for one another!

If you’re out and about in this hot weather, there are some simple things you can do to beat the heat and protect yourself from heat-related illness: 👉

* Stay hydrated and drink plenty of water 💧
* Slow down on the caffeine, alcohol, and energy drinks - they can dehydrate you ☕
* Wear a hat, sunglasses and light, loose fitting clothing that covers as much skin as possible 😎
* Use SPF 30 (or higher) sunscreen. Put it on 20 minutes before you go outdoors and every two hours afterwards ☀️
* Seek out shade where you can🌳

Take care and be on the lookout for early symptoms of heat-related illness, including headaches, dizziness, fainting, nausea, and vomiting. 🥵

If you or someone in your care becomes very unwell from heat-related illness: 👉

* Call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222 for 24/7 health advice
* Contact your GP
* In an emergency call triple zero (000) or go to your nearest hospital emergency department.

For more information and advice, visit: www.act.gov.au/health and search ‘summer safety’.

15/01/2026

This month, St John Ambulance Australia is part of the Grill’d Local Matters campaign right across the country! 🍔

For each burger you buy, you’ll receive a token that you can pop into our jar as a vote for St John Ambulance.

Your burger + your token = more community education, more volunteers, and continued care when you need it most.

👉 Head to your local Grill’d, grab your favourite burger, and vote for us today!

06/01/2026

Heatwave conditions are forecast this week, Canberra!

With the mercury tipped to rise well into the 30's, we are encouraging everyone to be smart and stay safe in the heat this week.

💧 Stay hydrated: carry water with you at all times
🚗 Never leave children or pets in parked cars
❄️ Keep the heat out of the house: Use air-conditioning, fans, keep the blinds drawn, take cool showers, wear light natural fabrics
⏰ Plan outdoor time wisely, avoiding the hottest parts of the day. Wear a hat & sunscreen if you do go outside.
⚠️ Watch out for a rash, cramps, dizziness, confusion which are all signs of heat related illness. Contact your a GP or visit a walk-in centre if you are concerned about any symptoms you may be experiencing.
💓 Check in on high-risk groups: the elderly, babies, people with medical conditions, outdoor workers and animals.

Stay safe, stay cool, keep hydrated and look out for each other! 💚

31/12/2025

As we wrap up an incredible 2025, we want to take a moment to thank our amazing volunteers, staff, and community for making this year so special.

From providing life saving first aid to teaching school children and supporting our community when they need it most, your dedication and passion have truly made a difference.

Here’s to the memories we’ve created and the milestones we’ve achieved together. 💚

We are excited for 2026 to bring more opportunities to serve, connect, and grow with you all.

✨ Wishing you a safe, happy, and healthy New Year! ✨

24/12/2025

From all of us at St John ACT, we wish you a safe, joyful, and peaceful Christmas!

Thank you for your support throughout the year. Together, we’ve made a real difference in our community.
Stay safe and enjoy the festive season! 🎄✨

23/12/2025

Our team are taking a well deserved break over the holiday season.

Our office will be closed from 24th December and we will be back, recharged and ready to help on the 5th January 2026.

We would like to thank everyone for their support this year. We look forward to continuing to serve the Canberra community in 2026.

Stay safe and have a wonderful break!

05/12/2025

Today is International Volunteer Day. We wanted to say a huge thank you to every St John ACT volunteer for their incredible dedication to making our community a safer place to be.

From early mornings to late nights, they show up ready for anything - whether its handing out sunscreen or responding to a cardiac arrest. This year, they have saved lives, protected the vulnerable and shown care and compassion at every turn.

St John ACT would not exist without each and every one of our incredible volunteers. Canberra is better because of their service. 💚

03/12/2025

November was non-stop! As we race towards the finish line of 2026, we had a month jam-packed with events.

In November, our amazing volunteers contributed over 1,600 hours at 74 different events:

✅They shook their hips at Ricky Martin
✅They Giggled with Jimmy Rees
✅Joined the fun at SouthFest
✅Hung out with Spiderman at the Geek Markets

November was also a month of celebration. We held our annual awards night and marked some incredible service milestones. Some of our staff and volunteers also attended the Chancellors Dinner, celebrating 100 years of youth at St John. Our final group of volunteers for 2025 graduated in November too, making our total volunteer cohort 240 amazing humans.

At HQ, our training team have been hard at work and in November we ticked over our 10,000th training participant for 2025.

Thank you to everyone who made November one for the memory books. 💚

If you are out and about, keep your eyes peeled for our people in green - we are here to help!