12 year old Tariq Billinghurst, 10 year old Reuel Billinghurst and 6 year old Thomas Cory at a Junior Lifeguard Club session in Kalgoorlie.
Lifesaving skills for Kalgoorlie Boulder Community
Royal Life Saving Society WA is in Kalgoorlie over the next two weeks, teaching locals vital swimming, lifesaving and first aid skills. The visit is an important step towards empowering communities in regional WA with skills to prevent drowning, with latest figures showing that people in regional and remote areas of our state are almost four times more likely to drown than those in the Perth metropolitan area.
Royal Life Saving WA Senior Manager Swimming and Water Safety Education, Trent Hotchkin, says “the fact that people in regional and remote areas of our state are at such high risk of drowning is concerning. It highlights the need for improved access to appropriate first aid, lifesaving, swimming and water safety programs to ensure they have the knowledge and skills needed to participate safely in the unique aquatic environments that exist in these areas.”
Royal Life Saving WA is working hard to ensure people in regional and remote areas are given the opportunity to learn vital lifesaving and first aid skills. Mr Hotchkin says "Our Swim and Survive Access and Equity program is based on the belief that no-one should miss out on vital swimming and water safety education no matter what their cultural background is, or where they live. It also aims to empower children and adults in at-risk communities to be the local first responders, especially in areas where access to paramedics and other professional medical response may be limited or delayed."
From yesterday through to Friday 7th September Royal Life Saving WA will be presenting a number of courses and demonstrations as part of the Goldfields Splash, teaching skills in swimming, lifesaving, first aid and CPR to residents of Kalgoorlie and surrounding areas at the Goldfields Oasis Leisure Centre.
As part of the visit a Junior Lifeguard Club "Have-A-Go" session was held yesterday afternoon, with local children learning lifesaving skills to encourage them to take part in the Junior Lifeguard Club at the venue.
Thursday 30th August a Bronze Medallion course begins, continuing Friday 31st August, Thursday 6th September and Friday 7th September from 4 to 7pm each day, while COR demonstrations and an information session on Royal Life Saving WA courses being hosted by Goldfields Oasis will be held this coming Saturday. Next Thursday Kalgoorlie-Boulder locals will have an opportunity to join an Aquatic Trainer course from 8am – 1pm, teaching them how to train others in aquatic rescue skills.
The Goldfields Splash is supported by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.