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Parents not equipped to save a life at home - Free CPR course from Royal Life Saving to combat lack of knowlege

Kids Alive

Despite growing awareness, lifesaving skills in the home remain worryingly low- with  only one in four updating their skills annually. These figures have remained unchanged for over a decade – prompting renewed warnings from water safety experts about the urgent need for lifesaving and first aid education at home.

Knowing how to respond with first aid is also critical, with 45% of all child injuries requiring hospitalisations occurring at home. The top causes including falls (33%), contact with objects (20%), and transport-related incidents (14%), such as bike accidents. Infants are particularly vulnerable, with the highest rate of hospitalisation due to choking and suffocation.

To ensure improved safety at home, Royal Life Saving and Kids Alive are again calling on parents and carers to refresh their skills, relaunching The Heart Beat Club – a free online course focused on teaching CPR and first aid for babies and young children.  

“We’re seeing the same story year after year – parents understand that CPR and first aid are important, but they’re not acting on that knowledge,” said Royal Life Saving Society WA Senior Manager – Research, Media and Communications,  Lauren  Nimmo.

“Emergencies unfold in seconds, and without basic skills, parents can be left helpless in those critical first moments. The Heart Beat Club is designed to break down barriers - it’s free, takes just one hour, and could save a life.”

In 2024, there were 15 drowning deaths in children under five, with 40% in backyard pools and 27% occurring in baths. Alarmingly, there was also a 30% increase in drowning deaths among children aged 5–14, compared to the 10-year average.

Founder of Kids Alive, Laurie Lawrence, said the need to be able to take action at home had never been more urgent.

“Most people think drowning happens at the beach or on holidays – but the biggest danger for children is right in your own home,” Mr Lawrence said.

“I’m talking pools, baths, buckets, blow up pools and dams. And when things go wrong, it’s usually a family member that needs to step in and do something to help. The only thing that can buy you time and improve the chances of survival is CPR.

“The issue is resuscitation and first aid knowledge significantly fades within 3–6 months, yet most parents don’t update their training for years – if ever.

“We want parents and carers to stop being complacent and be prepared should the worst happen. It could just save your child’s life.”

The Heart Beat Club offers online access to a comprehensive training program covering CPR, choking, burns, scalds, shock, bleeding and other first aid essentials. The course is self-paced and specifically tailored for parents and carers of babies and toddlers.

The program is a great option for refreshing knowledge as it removes barriers like cost and time – but we also encourage parents to further develop their skills by attending an in-person course.

To register for free access during the month of May visit: www.heartbeatclub.org.au

Case study: Emma De Longis and daughter Mia

Emma De Longis knows firsthand how quickly things can go wrong — and how vital CPR skills are when they do. Her daughter Mia was 5 when she slipped silently under the water while playing in the backyard pool with her siblings and cousins.

“I was right beside the pool with my cousin, watching all five of our kids play,” Emma said. “I looked down for a moment to mix a bottle for my newborn – in those few moments Mia lost her grip on the edge of the pool and sank to the bottom.

Emma’s older son and his cousin noticed Mia underwater and pulled her to the surface, calling for help.

“She was blue and lifeless. It was every parent’s worst nightmare,” Emma said.

Emma had completed a CPR course and sprang into action, performing mouth-to-mouth and compressions.

“She eventually took a breath and opened her eyes – but they were glassy, and she began vomiting. I was terrified. The ambulance arrived, and we were rushed to hospital. Mia had fluid in her lungs and her oxygen levels were dangerously low.”

Mia thankfully made a full recovery with no lasting damage but Emma says the trauma of the experience will never leave her.

“Drowning is silent. It’s not like the movies. There’s no splashing, no screaming. It just happens – fast. What we saw that day is something no parent should have to see.”

Emma now urges every parent to learn CPR and never become complacent.

“If you have kids, you need to know first aid and CPR. That momentary lapse in attention could happen to anyone – but what you do next can mean the difference between life and death.”

Contact details:

For interviews contact Trina McColl 0413 922 284 or [email protected]