It’s a sad fact that drowning is a global epidemic with 42 people drowning globally every hour of every day. According to the Drowning Report of 2019, from Royal Life Saving Australia, drownings have increased in Australia by 10% in the last year. So it’s quite timely then that Australia’s favourite lifeguard and firefighter, Trent ‘Maxi’ Maxwell of Bondi Rescue fame has launched a world-first global online community platform to teach kids vital surf, water and fire safety, rescue and life skills.
Maxi’s Rescue Squad is the brainchild of Maxi and his business partner, Leigh Mason who met in 2014, and founded social enterprise, Live Learn Survive in 2018 after discovering a mutual passion for water safety education and the desire “to give every child and young adult, no matter their location or background, the opportunity to learn key lifesaving skills”. The Maxi’s Rescue Squad online community promises to be a safe, moderated space where parents can trust their kids will be in good hands for less than the cost of a cup of coffee each week. “Maxi’s Rescue Squad is a global online community designed for kids 5 years and older, so they can learn alongside their parents,” said Maxi. “A Royal Life Saving report found that less than 9% of children in Australia are learning a rescue skill – we aim to change that,” said Maxi. “The community is accessed by an app, not a browser, so parents can be assured their kids are safe.” Beauty Over 40 note – I have had a play around with the app, and it’s just brilliant. Simple games and quizzes for children to read and play, to teach them about water safety and rescue. And Winter is the perfect time to start your children’s/grandchildren’s understanding of these vital skills – in time for them to head back into the water in Spring and Summer.
The project is funded by subscription (click here for details – once you sign up you will have instructions on how to download the app), and by the sale of books, including the award winning Maxi the Lifeguard fictional children’s book series released in 2018 (perfect for children aged 8-12), or the newly released Maxi’s Beach Rescue book to coincide with the launch of the app, which is ideal for children aged 2-8 (for those at the younger end, read it with them), and is itself planned to become a series (click here to buy the book(s)). What a welcome initiative from Maxi and Leigh, and so important for all of us in Australia to understand with our beach culture.
