Over the past 10 weeks, 17 students from Centralian Middle School undertook training at the Alice Springs Aquatic Centre to qualify for their Bronze Medallions.
The Royal Life Saving Society of Australia holds the Bronze Medallion as a Community Leadership and Life Saving award. These students are now qualified to commence employment at an aquatic facility as the Bronze Medallion is the entry level qualification requirement.
This is a first for Central Australian schools. Petina Franklin of the Royal Life Saving Society NT stated that “CMS are to be congratulated for ensuring their students have access to the program. This is a fantastic achievement for the students involved”.
Health and Physical Education teacher, Ben Balmer said “These students have worked hard to complete this course and we are very proud to have them as members of our school community. A big thank you goes to RLSSA – NT staff member Petina Franklin and Swimming Australia staff member Peter Tonkin for making this course a possibility and to the students for making it such a success”.
315 people drowned in Australian between July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011. Of this amount, there were 8 Territory deaths. 38 lost their lives in the devastating Queensland floods.
Drowning is still the most common cause of death for children aged 1-4 years.