Free CPR courses

Thirty chest compressions, two breaths, one minute. That’s all that can stand between life and death.

In a bid to continue educating the local community on water safety, a free Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) course will be held at Birrong Leisure and Aquatic Centre on Wednesday 13 March, and at Canterbury Leisure and Aquatic Centre on Wednesday 20 March.

The course, initially reserved for local owners of pools judged to be compliant, is now being expanded to the entire community.

City of Canterbury Bankstown Mayor, Khal Asfour, said taking this basic life-saving course should be a no-brainer for people who have their own pools or use Council’s facilities.

"There are two simple questions you should ask yourself, do you know what to do if faced with a potential drowning situation? And, can you perform CPR?" he said.

"If the answer is no to either, you need to register for our free CPR course.

"Don’t let your lack of knowledge and skills get in the way of potentially saving a life. It’s not as easy as it looks on TV or in a movie – you have to be able to spring into action and not exactly what to do."

The course, which is delivered by St John Ambulance, will teach participants how to spot the signs of a heart attack, the steps to take when someone is unconscious, and to recognise when CPR is required and how to perform it.

Sarah Lance, CEO of St John Ambulance NSW, said the course could avoid tearing a family apart.

"Pool accidents happen and it’s an absolute tragedy. But it can happen to anyone at any time," she said.

"It’s those first few minutes that count. Doing a first aid course gives you the skills to save a life and we congratulate Canterbury-Bankstown on this great initiative."

Each course is limited to 20 people so all attendees participate directly in hands-on activities.

To register, or for more information, call 0414 191 901 or email [email protected]