What would you do if you had to rescue a drowning child at the beach?

This question was put to 30 members of the Triathlon Solomon Islands (Tri SI) club as they learnt basic resuscitation and first aid techniques, as part of a series of Saturday morning swimming and first aid lessons being held through February and March. The program is a partnership between Red Cross and Triathlon Solomon Islands.

The athletes learnt to check for what is often referred to as 'danger signs.' This included EAR and CPR resuscitation on adult, child and baby manikins. Ross Andrewartha, President of Triathlon Solomon Islands said, "TriSI sees the skills being learned from this course as a vital part of the development of the sport in the Solomon Islands, particularly as the triathletes are involved in conducting swimming classes for school children. Also having basic life support skills is an important life skill and applicable in any emergency."

The Australian High Commission funded the program through an Australian Sports Outreach Program (ASOP) grant. Amanda Davis, from the Australian High Commission attended the session, and was impressed by the dedication and commitment shown by the triathletes. The triathletes said they enjoyed learning new skills and had not had the opportunity to learn first aid before.