Our Centres are now Asthma Friendly!

This article appears in the July 2009 edition of Sportshorts.

Did you know that one in nine adults and one in 10 children have asthma and that it is one of the most common causes of childhood admissions into hospital?

NSW Sport and Recreation has developed a strong relationship with the Asthma Foundation NSW which has led to our 11 Centres recently achieving the Asthma friendly campsite accreditation.

In order to be accredited as Asthma friendly, our Centres have had to meet a set of criteria stipulated by the Asthma Foundation NSW.

• Instructional staff and managers are given Emergency Asthma Management (EAM) training and every effort is made to ensure that at least one member of staff with this certification is on site/on call at all times.
• There is sufficient asthma emergency equipment at each Centre to ensure there is always a reliever medication and spacer device accessible (within two minutes of any group activity). Kits including emergency equipment and resources have been sent to the Centres by Asthma Foundation NSW for use.
• Asthma First Aid information is on display and readily accessible to staff. Posters placed around our Centres provide awareness of how to manage an asthma incident.
• NSW Sport and Recreation Centres support best practice asthma management. Our new Asthma management policy is available on our intranet and should be understood and adhered to by all staff.

NSWSR Centres gaining Asthma Friendly Campsite accreditation means that all participants with asthma can engage in activities in a safe and supportive environment with more confidence as they know that our Centre staff have a greater understanding and training in asthma management.

More information

To find out more about the Asthma Friendly Campsite accreditation, visit the Asthma Foundation NSW - www.asthmansw.org.au