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Take the 4 Steps for Life with Baw Baw Shire

Baw Baw Shire is supporting an Ambulance Victoria program seeking to significantly increase the number of people able and prepared to provide resuscitation (CPR) in a life-threatening emergency.

By Baw Baw Shire Council - 9th August 2004 - Back to News

Through an innovative free program called the 4 Steps for Life, Ambulance Victoria aims to build awareness and confidence of 50 – 70 year olds to perform CPR through fun group learning at local clubs and community groups.

Baw Baw Shire will host the launch of the initiative to encourage community groups and clubs to take up the free program.

Victorian ambulance services attend about 3500 cases of sudden cardiac arrest each year. Tragically, very few receive the benefit of potentially life saving CPR.

The response of the person with the victim is vital if the person is to survive, yet evidence shows that many people over 50 years of age do not have this life skill and they are not attending formal first aid or CPR training courses.

The 4 Steps for Life is based on international research which demonstrates that simplification of resuscitation to the four critical steps greatly improves confidence and retention and that video based training in these steps is at least as effective as classroom training.

Applying this research, Ambulance Victoria has developed a program, which is engaging, relevant and fun.

This program is an excellent opportunity to make our community safer by increasing the number of people able to provide CPR.

Rural Ambulance Victoria Chief Executive Officer Doug Kimberley commended Baw Baw Shire for supporting the initiative.

"No-one likes to think a loved one will collapse in front of them but the fact is sudden cardiac arrest is the most common cause of death in Australia. This program is an opportunity to learn with friends to help save that person," Mr. Kimberley said.

"This program is particularly important for rural communities increasing their capacity to care for one another especially in the case of cardiac arrest where every minute makes a difference to a person’s chances of survival," continued Mr Kimberley.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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