Arm yourself with knowledge, says Catherine, owner of Survival CPR
CPR and caregiver training are what Survival CPR is all about. And a passion for helping people and saving lives is what drives this business.
CPR and caregiver training are what Survival CPR is all about. And a passion for helping people and saving lives is what drives this business.
Qualified trauma sister Catherine Rodwell started Survival CPR 22 years ago as a sideline job while she worked at hospital trauma units, on medivac teams and did heli- and road-side emergency care work. “I found that people didn’t know what to do in emergency situations. Should I put the patient in a car and race them to hospital or stay and wait for a paramedic? This, of course, is the most vital time and a wrong decision could lead to a bad outcome,” she explains. This inspired her to start the business.
Survival CPR now offers CPR and first aid courses, and caregiver training. Parents, teachers, au pairs, medical professionals and even children attend the training. “Knowing how to do CPR could mean saving the brain function of a person, which is the most important thing. At Survival CPR we love seeing our trainees become empowered, knowing how to handle a situation,” she says.
Her advice for others wanting to pursue their business dreams is to just keep at it. “Never give up,” she says. “There will be days when you question what you are doing and you are maybe thinking of changing tack. Just keep going. We thought Covid would be tough, and it was, but people still wanted what we offer and we managed to continue with protocols in place.”
She adds that often people you meet along the way, who may seem inconsequential at the time, become significant and things grow from there.
Her parting thoughts to parents, teachers and others is not to leave it too late. “I encourage expectant parents to do the course before baby arrives. Go in prepared. It’s so important for us all to arm ourselves with the knowledge that could save a life,” she concludes.
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