By Mackenzie Holland
It was a wakeup call for the Windsor Probus Club when some of their members underwent distressing situations requiring them to perform CPR.
In response they have taken steps to better prepare themselves by learning the skill of cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
These are the situations no one wants to find themselves in, but having the skill of CPR has become very important to the club. Maria, a Windsor Probus Club member said, “My husband recently had a cardiac arrest, and I had to do CPR on him until the ambulance arrived. Doing this course, you can save someone’s life.”
The President of Windsor Probus Club, Elaine Davey, said eight members recently undertook the CPR course on Wednesday, 4th September and had the opportunity to practice and refine their life-saving skills.
They were provided manikins to learn correct placement, pressure and rhythm. The hands-on approach allowed them to put their skills into action and test their strength.
Bob, another Probus club member said: “Like many in the Hawkesbury, we are 16km out of town. We need to be able to render first aid if required. So, it’s vital to know enough to help.”
Elaine said cost and location cause accessibility issues for the club. “It is difficult because the councils do run them for free, but you have to travel to them, and the frequency of the courses run per year are limited or booked out”.
Windsor Probus Club opted for a course with Embrace First Aid to learn the basics of CPR, rather than a full First Aid course. Cost played a factor, but Elaine agreed that learning how to perform CPR was an important issue.
“What I’d like it to do is get people thinking because you always think ‘Oh it would never happen to us’ until it does.” Her ambition is to spread awareness and encourage others in our community to take up a course themselves.
The course took place at Windsor RSL which is where the Windsor Probus Club and its 54 members meet once a month.
Elaine says that the club is not just about fun and fellowship, but it is also about education. This CPR course not only allowed some members to learn a new skill they may not have previously had, but it also was an opportunity for fellowship and bonding.
If anyone is interested, The Windsor Probus Club meets at the Windsor RSL on the first Wednesday of each month at 10am. The club also has a book club, croquet club, and frequently organises morning teas and day trips.
For more information and to explore further the club has a section on the Probus South Pacific webpage or their email is [email protected].
