2011_SLSNZ_SurfRescueMag

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Real life rescue
shows LFA’s value
Lifesaving First Aid Ltd recently celebrated
its first birthday. Surf Rescue looks at the
innovative program with heavy links to the
surf lifesaving movement.
It proved to be the ultimate piece of on-the-job
training – exactly what Lifesaving First Aid was set up
to achieve.
In late September, Lifesaving First Aid instructors Hira
Edmonds (Bethells Beach), Claire Carrington (Bethells
Beach) and Ellie Gain (Spencer Park) were teaching
senior surf lifeguards from all over the country at
Christchurch’s North Beach.
Christchurch surfer James Tuhikarama, 47, was
competing in a North Wai Boardriders Club event at
the same beach, when he had a heart-attack and
was dragged out of the water, face-down, by fellow
competitors.
Up in the North Beach clubrooms, Edmonds saw
a make-believe rescue scenario turn into a real life
drama.
He quickly mobilised the six students, who were
completing Pre Hospital Emergency Care (PHEC)
training, and they provided CPR until emergency
services arrived.
Tuhikarama spent a week in intensive care in an
induced coma and nearly three weeks in hospital but
has now recovered. He has no doubt he owes his
life to Lifesaving First Aid, and later caught up with
the six teenaged surf lifeguards who had learned their
lessons so well.
“That’s the only thing that kept me alive,” Tuhikarama
said. “They were so happy to see me as well. They
know their stuff and they know how to save people.”
Lifesaving First Aid training manager Rob Howes
believes it show-cased the worth of taking training
into the workplace and tailoring courses to suit
needs.
“The oxygen levels in the patient were extremely low
and therefore good compressions and re-oxygenation
were vital,” Howes said. “The greatest benefit to this
patient was the fact that the responding lifeguards
were very skilled in effective CPR which gave the
patient the best possible chance of survival.”
Lifesaving First Aid was set up officially in September
2010 but its roots go much deeper - specialised
first aid training was started by Surf Life Saving New
Zealand a decade ago in Wellington.
Surf lifeguard training accounts for a large slice of
current clientele – LFA runs 8-12 courses per week
from June and December and 6-8 courses per week
for the rest of the year – but the corporate market is
steadily growing.
Tauranga gym Bodyzone recently got LFA to run
a workplace first aid course at their premises and
general manager Matt Adsett said it was invaluable
on-the-job training for his staff.
“Hira’s delivery was humourous, with good learning
objectives and above all, it was relevant to our
work environment,” Adsett said. “We all came away
feeling very positive and enthusiastic regarding our
training and I would highly recommend them to other
businesses.”
Lifesaving First Aid administrator Keri James said
the incredible North Beach rescue showed first aid
was rarely needed in a typical classroom learning
environment.
“Accidents rarely happen in a training room and each
and every workplace is difference,” James said. “It
is crucial that businesses and their staff have the
knowledge and confidence to administer first aid to
work colleagues or the general public in a range of
environments and circumstances.
Training for Life
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