Surf Life Saving through its Australian Lifesaving Academy has provided the team with fully-accredited first aid training which means they are now equipped to handle a range of issues or emergencies they may encounter when they head off to Rio later this month.
First aid skills and how to respond to accidents or medical emergencies could prove to be vital training depending on the situations or conditions athletes and management may face while competing at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games.
Surf Life Saving NSW Academy Operations Manager, Dan Gaffney says the organisation is proud to support Australia’s Paralympians by delivering first aid training to assist the Committee with their preparations.
Members of the committee now know how to respond to a range of emergency situations including how to perform CPR, use a defibrillator, treat a range of wounds and fractures or manage severe allergic reactions or asthma attacks.
“You never know when you might need to call on your first aid training and this knowledge could come in very handy in Rio, potentially even to save someone’s life,” said Dan Gaffney.
“We’re delighted to work with the Australian Paralympic Committee to equip them with these vital skills before they take the team to compete and hopefully succeed in Rio.”
Australian Paralympic Committee Chief Executive Officer, Lynne Anderson says learning first aid was another way to enhance the APC’s thorough preparations for Rio.
“It actually brought up a few ideas for us to refine our planning for Rio, so that was an added benefit.
“First aid training is critically important. As part of our support team we have a lot of medical experts and the right people in places but because of the nature of attending a major sporting event with a team of more than 300, we have to be prepared for any type of situation.”
Surf Life Saving NSW wishes the Australian Paralympic Team the best of luck at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games in September.
Thursday 11 August 2016