Surfers learn first aid

Picture/Words: John Veage

Surfing Sutherland Shire has successfully run a free surfers first aid course at Cronulla RSL for the local Bate Bay Boardriders Clubs. The course provides participants with the knowledge and skills needed to manage emergency first aid situations and deliver competent emergency care until the arrival of professional medical support.

Surfers are often in places that are remote and hard to access and use equipment that can cause injury so learning basic first aid and CPR is a valuable skill that may not only be used at the beach, but also in the home, work and in the general community. It was funded by a NSW State Government ‘Local Members’ grant of $3600.00 facilitated by the Cronulla MP and NSW Opposition leader Mark Speakmans office.

Mark Speakman said you never know when you might be called on to save someone’s life or to curtail a serious injury.

“Basic first aid skills are easy to learn. It’s great to see the surfing fraternity preparing for the unexpected.” he said

Surfing Sutherland Shire engaged Surfing New South Wales to arrange the training and they used accredited trainer Bobby Yaldwyn to deliver the content. The six hour course involved CPR training, operation of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), wound and trauma response as well as the use of Epipens for the treatment of anaphylaxis shock. The outcome of this training resulted in eleven participants successfully completing the accredited First Aid Certificate course.