Published on: 9 March 2017


Year 11 student Stanley McFarlane has been hailed a hero after saving the life of a public citizen on Queenslea Drive.

On Monday 27 February, Stanley was waiting at the drop-off zone and noticed a person on the ground motionless. Stanley realised something was wrong and went to the immediate aid of the lady who was not breathing. Having trained in all aspects of CPR, Stanley was able to administer CPR and bring the lady around to a conscious state before she was taken away by ambulance.

“CPR is something that you train for and never really think you will perform, but knowing how to do it was amazing in this situation. I am grateful for the training I received at Christ Church Surf Life Saving Cadets, run by Miss Gould. This taught me how to stay calm and respond to the situation. It is great knowing that this training helped me save a life and I encourage everyone to learn CPR as it could mean the difference between the life and death of someone you know or love”, said Stanley.

In Australia, around 30,000 people suffer a sudden cardiac arrest each year. On average, only 10% of these people survive. These are the lucky few.

This year boys in Years 11 and 12 have the opportunity to participate in a First Aid Cadetship Program offered through St John Ambulance WA, thanks to old boy Thomas Drake-Brockman (2011) who introduced the program to the School. Additionally, all Year 10 students participate in the Bronze Medallion Royal Life Saving Award which is conducted as part of the School’s Physical Education program, focusing on water safety and rescue techniques plus CPR. Over 90% of the 2016 cohort successfully completed this nationally recognised award.