Narrogin parents and carers learn vital skills

A recent survey found that only 25% of WA parents and carers have completed CPR training in the past 12 months. CPR is a vital skill that can save lives, especially in those crucial moments following a childhood drowning, where a parent or carer is most likely to be the first on scene.

The Royal Life Saving Society WA is determined to see all West Australians have an opportunity to learn first aid and CPR skills, and our Heart Beat Club program is a step towards seeing this become a reality. The Heart Beat Club is a short three hour training session that covers first aid for common child injuries including burns and scolds, choking and drowning and provides information on how to perform child resuscitation or CPR.

Recently Royal Life Saving qualified trainer Marion Price conducted a free Heart Beat Club session with the Narrogin YMCA, funded by the WA Swim and Survive Fund. The YMCA runs our Infants Aquatic Water Familiarisation Program at its Narrogin Regional Leisure Centre, with Indigenous mums and babies from the local area, and the Heart Beat Club session was aimed at these mothers, and other parents within the community, to provide them with the knowledge and skills required to save a child’s life in an emergency situation.

7 parents and carers took part in the session, who may otherwise not have had an opportunity to learn these vital skills. The session was organised and promoted by Sam Kempton from the YMCA and Marion, one of our dedicated community trainers who is making an impact in regional WA.

The Narrogin YMCA is a great partner of Royal Life Saving Society WA, faithfully promoting and running our swimming and water safety programs from Infant Aquatics right through to Junior Lifeguard Club and Bronze Medallion. They are keen to also continue to provide these Heart Beat Club sessions, to ensure local families have the skills they need to keep their children safe and save lives.

Last year Royal Life Saving Society WA ran 8 Heart Beat Club sessions for key community groups and we continue to target those who are at-risk of missing out on learning first aid and CPR skills. We’d love to hear from other interested aquatic facilities or community groups who’d like to run a Heart Beat Club session for parents and carers in their area.

More information about our Heart Beat Club initiative in at-risk communities can be found at the link below.