The organisation launched the Little Piece of Mind campaign on Monday to encourage parents and grandparents to seek first aid training.

St John Ambulance first aid trainer Joshua Clark, from Bathurst, said courses made a significant difference to people’s confidence, particularly with CPR.

“We had a case study where there was a mother with a four-day-old baby at home unconscious and not breathing and she did CPR but her husband was telling her ‘stop it, you’re going to hurt her’, but she knew what she was doing. She did CPR for eight minutes and it was a good outcome,” he said.

“Childcare facilitators have to have first aid, but when we drop children at their grandparents’, do they have a first aid course? When was the last time grandma did CPR training? We don’t think of that.”

He said people often believed an emergency would never happen to them, but 22 people drowned statewide during the Christmas period.

“You can’t control another person,” he said.

“[By doing a course], you’re willing to assist if something happens and you understand what’s happening.”

After Orange apprentice bricklayer Kyuss Smith saved the life of a colleague at a construction site, St John Ambulance offered him a free course.

The 17-year-old said he couldn’t take it up due to his work schedule, but would look into it when it quietened down. “It was good [to be offered],” he said.

Mr Clark applauded Kyuss’ efforts.

“One of the first things the Australia Resuscitation Council says is any attempt to revive someone is better than no attempt,” he said.

“It’s such a simple thing, but tilting someone’s head back to open their airway – if you put your chin to your chest and then look back at the ceiling, it’s a lot easier to breathe with your head back,” he said.

He said while it was ideal for families to have a stocked first aid kit, towels, handkerchiefs and even socks could be used to stem blood flow from a wound.

St John’s Ambulance will run tailored courses for treating children and parents, or anyone seeking general training, can book by visiting www.stjohn.org.au or calling 1300 ST JOHN.