Youngsters learn how to Restart a Heart

Young people trained to be lifesavers by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service

Around 3,500 young people were trained to be lifesavers by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) on Friday.

As part of European Restart a Heart Day, firefighters, staff and volunteers attended dozens of schools and colleges to teach CPR as part of a partnership with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and North West Ambulance Service (NWAS).

The aim is to help create a nation of lifesavers and improve survival rates for out of hospital cardiac arrests – there are around 30,000 every year in the UK and less than one in ten survive.

Throughout Friday fire crews, volunteers and support staff, visited around 35 schools delivering training with the help of CPR kits and mannequins provided by the BHF.

Youngsters learned how to perform chest compressions and give rescue breaths to help keep the heart’s blood pumping.

At the same time, schools and colleges across the whole of the UK and Europe were taking part in their own training sessions as part of Restart a Heart Day – a European campaign to teach people lifesaving skills so they can help someone who has suffered a cardiac arrest.

Group Manager John Fletcher, who helped kick-start the day by supporting the training of around 150 students at Byrchall High School, said: “People are often scared of doing CPR because they’re worried about causing more damage but in this situation you can’t do anything to make things worse – the worst thing you can do is nothing.

“Now that the all our fire stations have CPR kits and mannequins we can extend the training to other members of the community and create even more lifesavers.”

GMFRS’ County Fire Officer, Peter O’Reilly, said: “Thanks to everyone who has taken part to help make this day such a huge success.

"Heart disease can affect people of any age and at any time so as an emergency service at the heart of the communities we serve we see it as our responsibility to help make everyone aware of heart health and how they can help in a medical emergency.

“Our firefighters are trained and experienced in CPR and the use of lifesaving equipment such as defibrillators so we want to pass on our skills to as many people as possible to ensure they have the best possible chance at helping to save a life.”