Enjoy the beach, but stay safe
The summer of 2018/19 has seen a rise in the number of drownings across Australia, with the number of drowning deaths up by 40% compared to the same time last year.
Our Sunshine Coast beaches are one of the region’s biggest attractions, but lack of care and lack of knowledge can have tragic consequences.
What can we do to reduce our accident risk in and around the beach?
Always, always, swim on patrolled beaches, and always, always, swim between the flags.
Check weather, surf and beach reports, especially concerning rips – if in doubt, don’t go in.
Be mindful of your health and any pre-existing medical conditions you have that may reduce your capabilities in the water; be aware of the limitations of your own skill and fitness.
Wear a life jacket whenever you are on a watercraft of any type.
Avoid alcohol and drugs if you are going to be operating any sort of watercraft. On beach and boating outings, designate non-drinkers to watch toddlers and small children.
Many visitors to the Sunshine Coast are unfamiliar with the local surf conditions and the rips. Long-term residents have had to learn about these already in order to stay safe in the water. So Sunshine Coast residents have a responsibility to educate their visitors not to swim at unpatrolled beaches, and to make sure that at patrolled beaches, they always swim between the flags.
And we all have a responsibility to be prepared to start resuscitation should someone unconscious and not breathing be pulled from the water, which is why learning cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is so important.
Allens Training Sunshine Coast regularly delivers Provide CPR courses, and Provide First Aid courses, at training venues across the Coast, at Birtinya, Maroochydore, Nambour and Noosa.
Sunshine Coast CPR courses teach students how to follow the DRSABCD (danger, response, send for help, airway, breathing, compressions, defibrillation) action plan. As part of the course, students learn and practise the correct techniques for administering CPR and using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). After the successful completion of the course, students receive a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment that they can forward to their employer if required.
Check our calendar for the next Sunshine Coast CPR or Sunshine Coast first aid course, and either book online via our secure website, or phone Allens Training Sunshine Coast on 07 5438 8888 for more information and phone bookings.