Milestone for young first-aider program

THE local district set the scene for a St John Ambulance milestone recently.

The service trained its 500,000th student as part of its First Aid Focus program during the last school term.

Officers reached the half-a-|million mark as they trained about 900 students at Carramar Primary School.

Since the achievement, St John representatives have this month been making special presentations to local schools that have been big contributors to the program.

Among the recognised schools was Currambine Primary School, where St John officers provided the students with a first-aid kit at an assembly on May 7.

St John chief executive Tony Ahern said WA students’ enthusiastic uptake of the program had set the standard in Australia.

He emphasised the free program had been funded by revenue from paid first-aid courses.

“Every time someone comes into a St John centre to train, they are helping the schoolchildren of WA,” he said.

First Aid Focus is grouped in three age-related courses – kindergarten to Year 2, primary school and high school.

It teaches younger groups simple advice such as using emergency phone numbers, while older groups are taught basic CPR.