Bronze Medallion

It has been some time since I last completed the Bronze Medallion. If memory serves me correctly it was at least 12 years ago. My good friend Andrew's son Kieran participates with the South Esk swimming club and an opportunity arose a few weeks back to join in with them (Andrew & Kieran) to complete the award. Last Tuesday we commenced the theory side of things with an evening performing CPR and other related life saving techniques. This last Saturday had us in the pool doing the majority of the practical work including:

• 400 m swim (100 m of the following strokes: side stroke; breast stroke; survival backstroke and freestyle) to be completed under 13 minutes
• 50 m swim with a 50 m tow of patient within 3 & 1/2 minutes
• treading water and other activities wearing clothes
• handling potential spinal injuries in the water
• Rescue a patient using a coiled rope within 30 seconds
• and various other activities such as water entries; pattern searching etc

We have another session in the pool this following Saturday followed by a multi choice exam paper. I was a bit anxious about undertaking the award due to my fitness levels being focused out of the pool. I was pleased to get the 400m swim out of the way - I find my breathing difficult whilst doing freestyle. I just can't seem to get enough breath or get the breathing anything but shallow. It took me 11 minutes whilst some of the younger stronger swimmers were done in 6 1/2 minutes.

My main motivation for doing the award is centred around working with the youth at Church and particularly as we tend to have a lot of water activity over the summer period, without the appropriate skilled personnel. The only thing is that it needs to be renewed annually so I will need to schedule next years certification in now. Much the same with renewing first aid certification.