Awards for South-West Community Trainers
Royal Life Saving Society WA relies on a network of hundreds of community trainers across our state to assist us in educating West Australians in drowning prevention, first aid, CPR and aquatic rescue skills. We were able to thank three of these community trainers during an awards event at the Margaret River Hotel last night. These community trainers are a vital part of the Royal Life Saving team, as we work towards the common goal of making Western Australia a safer place.
The focus of the event was not only to only thank these trainers for the vital work they do, but to also highlight the key reasons why this work is so important. Research shows that toddlers under the age of five are at the greatest risk of drowning, Royal Life Saving is committed to working towards eliminating toddler drowning within the WA community. Our Keep Watch toddler drowning prevention program teaches parents and carers 4 key messages to reduce the incidence of drowning, including parental supervision, preventing access to water, teaching water familiarization skills, and ensuring parents and carers learn CPR skills to be able to respond in an emergency.
Royal Life Saving’s network of community trainers plays a big part in sharing and implementing the Keep Watch messages, teaching swim instructors to educate children on swimming and water safety, running first aid courses, and teaching Heart Beat Clubs to provide parents with vital CPR and emergency response skills.
The community trainers recognized at last night's event include:
Noelene Usher
Noelene has been a trainer with Royal Life Saving Society WA since the beginning of 2016. Noelene presents first aid courses, deliverering a vast number of these throughout the South-West region. Last night she received the WA Certificate of Thanks for her great work.
Billy Vibart
Billy has been an Aquatic Trainer with Royal Life Saving WA since 2011, and has contributed significantly to the delivery of courses to a wide range of people in the Esperance and South West communities. He also provides training for the WA Police, presenting a Life Support Course in Esperance. Billy was awarded the Western Australian Service Order for his work with Royal Life Saving WA for the past 6 years.
Bev Annesley
Bev is from Annesley Aquatics, and has been teaching swimming for over 30 years. In 2000 Annesley Aquatics became an Endorsed Swim School, delivering Royal Life Saving Society’s swimming programs to those in Margaret River. In 2002 she became a Resuscitation Trainer with our organisation, and in 2008 became an Aquatic Trainer. Last night she received the Western Australian Meritorious Service Order for all of her dedicated years of work in making her community a safer place to be. This was a particularly special award as Bev has now retired, and all at Royal Life Saving wish her the very best for the future.
Our core belief at Royal Life Saving is that everyone can and should be a lifesaver, and our amazing team of community trainers works extremely hard to ensure this can become a reality.