By Laura Giannini
What is the best thing you could do on a rainy night? How about learning to save a life?
That was exactly what Maureen Cummings and husband Gordon, co-founders of Old Kilpatrick Food Parcels, thought.
So, they invited Heartstart Lomond Rotary and partner Helensburgh and Local District CPR/Defibrillator Association along to Napier Hall in Old Kilpatrick, the base for OKFP’s food pantry and Chatty Café.
And many of their team of 40 staff and volunteers joined them to learn Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and how to use an Automatic Electronic Defibrillator – the AED unit we see in many of our public spaces.
Emergency Life Support Skills
Heartstart projects in Argyll & Clyde began in 1997 following the Heartstart Scotland Campaign to equip all emergency ambulances with lifesaving defibrillators.
£40,000 was raised in West Dunbartonshire.
Heartstart teaches basic emergency skills in the community and schools. It is also supported by local NHS trusts and Save a Life for Scotland.
Lomond Rotary affiliated to the scheme in 1997 to deliver Heartstart Emergency Life Support skills free of charge as part of its Community Service project.
They have worked with emergency services, schools, churches, community centres and taxi companies.
“We will go anywhere we are asked to teach this most important life skill,” Sheenah Nelson, Heart Start Co-ordinator at Lomond Rotary told me.
Sheenah is a teacher by profession and a qualified CPR/AED trainer. She dedicates much of her free time to the free delivery of courses in the use of AEDs.
In partnership with Helensburgh Local District CPR/Defib Association they have placed 200 PADs (Publicly Accessible Defibrillators) throughout Helensburgh and West Dunbartonshire.
To date this has saved 48 lives locally.
“It is important we deliver the know-how to as many people as possible. No-one knows when or if they may need to use CPR to save a life.
“Imagine if it were someone you knew and you could save them because you’d given a few hours to learn CPR and how to use an AED.
“Imagine how’d you’d feel if you couldn’t, then decide if coming along for two or three hours is worth it.”
Training Young People
Helping deliver the training to the large group in Napier Hall was fellow Heartstart trainer Sue Palmer, Secretary of Helensburgh and Local District CPR/Defibrillator Association.
She said: “We have used the AED 72 times on adults and 15 times on children. That says it all doesn’t it?”
Sue is also extensively involved in the delivery of CPR/AED sessions.
“I particularly enjoy teaching in schools. Children are enthusiastic about learning how our sessions really can save lives.
“I know of a couple of occasions where a child recognised the heart attack before the adults and saved the patient. What a boost to self-esteem!”
Sue added: “We work with the slogan ‘small skills save lives’ and teach CPR for adults, children and infants.
“We also teach how to recognise a possible cardiac arrest and what to do if someone is choking.
“Practical skills which could save a life in any everyday occasion: a picnic, a Christmas dinner, a party, on a bus. Who can say?
“But wouldn’t it be good to know that you could save them?”
Fundraising & Safekeeping
Also present was Peachy Trainer who helped raise funds for the first defibrillator in Bowling six years ago.
He said: “Sadly the battle to raise funds is continuous. It is hard to believe but we’ve had the AED stolen twice! Once it was returned damaged, once it just disappeared.”
A kind donor offered funds to buy a third AED.
“It is very sad to think someone would destroy life-saving equipment. These machines have no monetary value on the market. They are no use except to try and save a life.
“We didn’t want to have to lock up the machines, we know every minute counts, but what can you do against wanton destruction?”
Despite Mr Trainer’s reservations the Bowling AED is now locked. Codes for any locked AED are available by phoning 999 or 112.
Tom Neufeld of the Beechwood Residents Association had a similar experience: the AED they raised money to buy was also stolen.
“It makes no sense. It’s like throwing the lifebelts installed along the riverside into the river for no reason.
“A stupid waste and possibly a fatal one.”
Mr Neufeld and his colleagues also raised more money, and a new machine is now installed in Beechwood and another in Ladyton Community Centre.
“The AED has been taken to the scene three times already. That could be three lives saved.”
Simple
The training organised by OKFP lasted just two hours.
In that time participants learned how to do CPR on the adult, child and infant mannequins.
Tricia, an OKFP volunteer and retired doctor, was at the session to refresh her first-aid skills.
She said: “Everyone should know how to do CPR. You never know when you could need it.
“Even as a doctor I remember my first CPR on a child – the rush of adrenaline is huge; you are so charged.”
And Fiona, another OKFP volunteer, added: “I just want to know I’ll be able to jump in and save someone if I ever need to.
“Just after I signed up, I was in Glasgow and the woman in front of me collapsed. You just never know when or where you might need to know how to help.”
It all seems simple – so does flying a plane when you know how, right?
Simple to save a life.
You’d want someone to know how if it were you or yours needing help, wouldn’t you?
If, after reading this, you or your organisation, club, group or company is interested all it takes is an email to sh**************@***il.com
Help keep Clydesider free for all: Join Clydesider Community Magazine’s Ko-fi Membership