Derbyshire Save a Life scheme
Posted on October 07 2011
A pioneering partnership scheme offering free emergency life support training to people across Derbyshire is to launch in September.
First aid charity St John Ambulance, the British Heart Foundation through its Heartstart initiative, and East Midlands Ambulance Service are joining forces to run the Derbyshire Save a Life Scheme, aimed at equipping as many people as possible with vital life saving knowledge.
With free two-hour ‘Emergency life support’ training courses on offer from September onwards, the scheme will run on a rolling programme for two years.
The first areas to be targeted will be Bolsover and the Peartree and Normanton area of Derby during September and October. The scheme will span the whole of the county throughout the two years and is expected to target specific districts at certain times during the project.
The collaboration is the brainchild of Dr Cheryle Berry, Chair of Council for St John Ambulance in Derbyshire, whose ultimate vision is to have a first aider on every street across the county.
‘St John Ambulance is committed to making sure that no one dies through a lack of first aid training and we want to equip as many people as possible with these vital skills. You never know when you may need first aid; it could be in the home, at work or just out and about. We’re working to make sure that access to first aid training is a basic right and if we had one first aider per street across the county we could make a big difference to the chances of saving people’s lives,’ Cheryle Berry said.
The training sessions will equip people with vital lifesaving skills to deal with emergencies such as severe bleeding, heart attacks, choking, assessing an unconscious patient and performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Although predominantly aimed at adults, anyone under the age of 16 can attend if they’re accompanied by a responsible adult family member or guardian.
People are encouraged to telephone 01246 560218 to book a place on a course near them.
Courses will be offered at venues within local communities. If clubs or groups would like to request a training course specifically for them, or are able to offer a venue to host a course, the trainers are happy to go to them.
Funding from the British Heart Foundation will provide equipment and training resources, with trainers from all three partner organisations delivering the first aid courses. The project is being coordinated via St John Ambulance Derbyshire HQ.
‘Up to 150,000 people die each year in situations where first aid could have given them a chance to live. Derbyshire has a real opportunity here to make sure that no more lives are lost unnecessarily.
St John Ambulance Derbyshire is delighted to be working with partners who share this aim and together we hope to equip many more people to be the difference between a life lost and a life saved,’ Dr Berry added.
Pete Winson, Community Defibrillator Resuscitation Officer for East Midlands Ambulance Service said: “Emergency life support training could help you save the life of someone you love. We are proud to be working with St John Ambulance and the British Heart Foundation to give people the
essential skills needed to manage an emergency situation.”
Jane Palmer, Community Development/Chest Pain Programme Co-ordinator for the British Heart Foundation, said: ‘The success of the Heartstart initiative relies on the support of volunteers and local organisations, and this county wide project is bringing three major organisations together to provide the people of Derbyshire with the opportunity to learn skills that can save lives.’