Royal Life Saving NSW is coordinating the free course which will start on Wednesday, March 14 at Bomaderry Aquatic Centre. 

It will cover water safety knowledge, resuscitation and emergency care, aquatic exercise as well as personal survival and lifesaving skills.  Participants need to be 60 years or over. 

Michael Ilinsky from Royal Life Saving NSW said the course is ideal for all older Australians, highlighting that 221 people aged 65 drowned in New South Wales between July 1, 2006 and June 30, 2016. 

“If you look after grandchildren it’s an ideal program to get your skills up to scratch. One of the questions you have to ask is ‘would you know what to do if you had to save your grandchild’s life in an emergency?’” he said. 

“More men drown than women. Seventy two per cent of the deaths were male and 28 per cent of the deaths were females. Without doubt, we need to help more men and that is what this free course is all about.”

“The drownings are happening all year round. Although 36 per cent of the drownings happened in summer, 24 per cent happened in autumn and spring and 17 per cent in winter.  The drownings are also happening at all locations. Twenty nine per cent of the drownings were in rivers, creeks and streams; 17 per cent  in swimming pools and 14 per cent at the beach.”

For further details and to book, contact the Bomaderry Aquatic Centre on 02 4429 5600. 

The program runs from Wednesday,  March 14 for four weeks from 2pm to 4pm.