Forget April Fools, this April it’s all about April Pools Day. And to increase the awareness of the importance of pool and water safety for kids, you can get the opportunity to claim a FREE introductory CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) online course.

Backyard drownings are the leading cause of preventable deaths in children under five in Australia which is why the Australian Red Cross and Poolwerx have joined forces to provide this crucial course as part of the April Pools activities, which aims to raise awareness of the importance of knowing CPR.

Immediate application of CPR can greatly increase the chances of your child surviving if they’re pulled unconscious from the pool. Knowing this simple skill can literally mean the difference between life and death, and CPR is so simple anyone can do it!

In the lead up to April Pools Day, Poolwerx set out to find what level of CPR skills the general community had. The results were shocking.

“75 per cent of the people we surveyed said that they didn’t think they had the necessary CPR skills to save a life if they were faced with a near drowning emergency,” said John O’Brien from Poolwerx.

“If your child ever gets into trouble in the pool, pray that a nurse, doctor or paramedic is nearby. The far better option is to learn CPR yourself, today, so your child stands a fighting chance.”

To receive your free introductory online CPR course, visit any Poolwerx store from 3 April (find your closest store here) to receive your redemption voucher, then go the April Pools Day website to redeem your course login. It won’t cost you a thing and it just might save someone’s life.