Year 9 Physical Education

Year 9 Bronze Medallion Award

It is well known that the majority of drowning accidents occur inland in places such as rivers, dams and home swimming pools – places that are rarely patrolled by qualified lifeguards. It is therefore important that all members of the community learn some lifesaving techniques.

During term 3, the year 9 cohort at Kew High School completed a unit on water safety and lifesaving skills within their Physical Education classes. As an extension and enrichment pathway students were offered the opportunity to complete an additional day at Richmond Recreation Centre where they were assessed on the skills they had learned throughout term 3.

28 students took up this opportunity, on Friday September 13th, completing their Bronze Medallion training and assessment. This Bronze Medallion course aims to enhance personal survival skills while providing participants with the knowledge and skills to develop their level of judgement, technique and physical ability required to safely carry out water rescues.

Some of the practical skills assessed on the day were;

• Resuscitation: Demonstrate effective CPR
• Swim 400 metres continuously within 13 minutes. 100m freestyle, 100m breaststroke, 100m survival backstroke, 100m sidestroke.
• Timed Tow: Swim 50 metres, then tow a patient 50m within 3 min 15 sec.
• Survival and Rescue Skills: Demonstrate a variety of survival techniques and appropriate rescues for a range of different aquatic environments and scenarios.
• Spinal Injuries: Basic management of a suspected spinal injury in shallow water.
• Rescue Initiative: Demonstrate initiative in effecting a rescue of two people who are in difficulty up to 15 metres from safety.

Congratulations to all students who participated in this program and learned valuable knowledge and skills provided within this program which will save lives, ensure the rescuer's safety and prevent a possible double drowning in future.

Catherine GAYFER