FREE certified CPR courses for Gannawarra residents will be run by Kerang Neighbourhood House next month.
House manager Claire Fry said a personal incident had brought about the need for a greater awareness of CPR.
The two-year-old daughter of a family friend who was visiting her property had wandered off and was later found unresponsive in a dam. Ms Fry, a registered nurse with more than 40 years’ experience swung into action performing CPR for almost an hour while waiting for emergency services to arrive.
Although a crowd of neighbours started to gather no one else was able to perform the lifesaving practice.
“It is really haunting me that people don’t know,” she said. “When you think about what goes on in the region, we have bushfires, we have floods, and we are surrounded by water. Everyone should know how to save a life.
“My wish was that if we could get as many people as possible to learn how to do CPR
“The climate at the moment, with the cost of living is difficult, so giving people a choice between buying food and learning CPR, they will obviously choose to feed their family.
“It would be great to also have ongoing funding so that we could keep the program going.
“I want to spread this knowledge, I want people to know, I want people to feel confident that if that happens to their child or family member, they can save a life.”
First Aid instructor, Kathy Sunnus, has provided her services at a discounted rate.
“When we talk first aid, CPR is the end of the road, everyone should know CPR,” Ms Sunnus, a former Ambulance Victoria instructor, said.
“What people don’t realise is that statistics say that every single person will be exposed to CPR incident in their lifetime.
“It’s fantastic that the community will have the opportunity to receive training and it is really exciting.”
The $5000 cost of the program is being funded by the Gannawarra Shire Council Community Grants Program and the municipality’s Flood Recovery Program.
