Australias CPR skills emergency

Statistics show that around 30,000 people suffer from cardiac arrest in Australia each year, with only about 10 percent of these victims likely to survive due to a lack of CPR skills in the Australian community.

In other parts of the world, including Seattle in the USA where 75% of people are trained in CPR, the survival from cardiac arrest can be up to 5 times that found in Australia.

Without CPR brain damage sets in within 3 minutes of a person’s heart stopping, and there is virtually no chance of survival if action is not taken within 10-11 minutes.

WA’s ambulance service aims to reach 90% of priority 1 cases within 15 minutes, meaning that without a CPR response from bystanders it’s highly likely a cardiac arrest victim will die before an ambulance arrives.

Royal Life Saving Society WA CEO Peter Leaversuch says it’s vital that more Western Australians are trained in this life saving skill.

“Accidents and incidents can happen anywhere, at anytime. You can prepare yourself to deal with an emergency by taking a First Aid course. It can make the difference between life and death. It’s those vital first minutes that are crucial in an emergency situation.”

Last financial year Royal Life Saving WA trained over 30,000 people in First Aid and CPR, and our aim is to see that increase to 40,000 this year.

Our approach is to ensure first said training is not a chore, but rather an enjoyable, engaging experience that show the participant the real life value of the skills they are learning.

Mr Leaversuch says First Aid and CPR is not only a vital life skill, but it can be extremely rewarding.

“Knowing first aid can save lives and give you confidence to respond to an emergency situation or help out in a time of need. It is also a highly desirable work skill that can help you get a better job, or move up the ranks in your current place of employment.”

Royal Life Saving Society WA’s slogan is “Everyone Can Be a Lifesaver” and it’s something we passionately believe in. Australia’s current poor performance in CPR response shows that it’s vital every Australian takes the important step of equipping themselves with first aid and CPR skills.

To learn CPR skills visit our training page and book a course today!