While others his age are out partying a Flinders Nursing student is on standby ready to come to their aid if they hurt themselves.
Mathew D’Onofrio, a second-year Bachelor of Nursing (Pre-Registration) student and self-described health and safety entrepreneur, has founded a start-up company Nightlife First Aid.
It is an event first aid service for all events specialising in the party scene. Based in Adelaide, Nightlife is run by a trained and qualified first responder.
“I was just 17-years-old when I was encouraged to begin my project as nearly every event I attended as a teenager looking to have fun, I ended up treating patients. And in some cases I sent them to the hospital or travelled with the families to a hospital,” Matthew said.
“So I worked as a first aider at my high school Formal After-Party. This gave me the initiative to start ‘Nightlife First Aid’.”
Mathew was a qualified St Ambulance volunteer for five years and has used his knowledge and skills to save multiple lives, on and off duty.
“Health and safety of others is a big passion of mine and an important factor to consider when organising an event, one that some organisers don’t. The goal for my business is to display the importance of first aid and provide the necessary safety precautions needed at events.
“Since starting Nightlife First Aid I have grown much interest in entrepreneurship and look forward to learning and growing the business more in order to save more lives,” Matthew said.
“It is a first aid service. Unlike our competition, we focus on events based on parties, youth and alcohol consumption – events which others typically avoid. The goal is to show the importance of first aid at events and provide the necessary safety precautions and pre-hospital care needed.
“First aid at parties is a new concept. I created it in the hope that it can grow and save many lives in the future,” Mathew said.
https://www.facebook.com/NightlifeFirstAid/
Words by Arndrae Luks