SwimSAFER CPR-mate
SwimSAFER CPR mate Launch
In 2010 Sarah Murdoch helped launch Swim Australia’s SwimSAFER program. Swim Australia designed the SwimSAFER program primarily to assist Swim Schools ‘live the water safety message’.
Swim Australia Swim Schools are uniquely placed to positively influence the swimming and water safety habits of their customers – the parents, caregivers and children. SwimSAFER features a ‘layers of protection’ concept that encompasses the common themes in water safety messages used by various authorities.
The layers of protection are:
- Supervision
- Barriers
- Swimming and Water Safety Skills
- Emergency Planning
This year the focus of the SwimSAFER program is Emergency Planning. This includes parents and caregivers (and children in some instances) knowing, and being confident in CPR, as well as pool owners establishing and implementing an emergency action plan in the case of an emergency.
As part of this process, Friday 13th April saw the launch of the WORLD FIRST product and process – the SwimSAFER CPR-mate. Sarah Murdoch who hosted the original SwimSAFER launch once again donated her time to MC the event. The CPR-mate is based on a “compression only” form of CPR. Compression only CPR is recognised by all international resuscitation councils, including the Australian Resuscitation Council.
The former top model, mum, and media identity said that by watching the DVD at home her young children had learned resuscitation.
"Learning CPR is something every person should do. Making certified CPR training compulsory at school level ensures our children will have the skills to save lives," she said.
The launch featured Sarah interviewing Amy Vass who saved her son James’s life with CPR after he fell in the spa at home on New Year’s Day 2011. Amy recalled the events leading up to her and her husband realising that James was missing, only to discover him face down and on the bottom of the spa.
“James was in the pool for less than a minute yet he was lifeless when I pulled him out. If we hadn’t known CPR we may easily have lost our beautiful son” she said.
Ross Smith, creator of Swim Australia CPR Mate™, also detailed why he developed the product and how it can help everyone to help someone who needs CPR. Ross also led attendees through a practical demonstration, to show the ease of use for all ages.
As part of the CPR mate media launch, Ross, Amy and son James were also featured on Channel 7’s Sunrise program. Host Natalie Barr interviewed Ross on the CPR-mate concept, and spoke with Amy about the importance on knowing CPR.
The CPR-mate concept was designed to provide parents with a cost effective, easy to use product for their families to practice CPR.
- Up to 30,000 adults in Australia have cardiac arrests each year but 70 – 80% do not receive CPR.
- Recommended by the Australian Resuscitation Council, hands only CPR involves pushing ‘hard and fast’ on the casualty’s chest at a rate of around 100 beats per minute and not stopping to give rescue breaths
- Swim Australia CPR Mate™ is a simple product that aims to educate people on how to conduct compression only, or hands-only, CPR.
- Swim Australia CPR Mate™ is both a process and a product designed to provide anyone, anywhere with a low-cost opportunity to learn CPR. It includes an interactive CD/DVD, FREE Smart phone app, and a compression pad for realistic resistance CPR practice.
Swim Australia CEO, Mr Ross Gage, said “Swim Australia advocates that everyone should learn and be accredited in CPR by an accredited provider. CPR-mate is an ideal way for everyone to practice and retain these vital skills”. CPR mate’s are available NOW through many of the Swim Australia registered swim schools.
