Get hands-on with free CPR demonstrations

Sessions to be held in Douglas

People are being invited to learn lifesaving skills in Douglas this weekend.

The Manx Care Resus Team and St John Ambulance will be at the Strand Shopping Centre between 10am and 4pm on Saturday 14 October.

The 'Restart a Heart' team will be performing Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) demonstrations, answering any questions that the public may have, and giving people the opportunity to have a go themselves - with and without defibrillators.

The initiative is led by Resuscitation Council UK, who gather an alliance of partners to raise awareness of cardiac arrests and to help people learn CPR. 

Survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests remain low in the UK, with fewer than one in ten people surviving.

Senior Nurse, Paul Ellis said: "It is a known fact that over 70% of people are not confident to perform CPR, so the aim of this campaign is to raise awareness and to teach the public about its importance. 

"In the UK, around 80% of cardiac arrests happen in the home, so your two hands really can help save a life.

"The workshop was well received last year and we encourage people of all ages to come along because you never know who may need it. I’ve seen instances where grandchildren have successfully got their grandparents onto the Resuscitation to Recovery pathway. The demonstrations will be short, but could help give someone a lifeline."

Claire Pickering of St John Ambulance, added: "St John Ambulance Isle of Man are passionate about delivering first aid training and are proud to be working alongside the Resus Team on this campaign. 

"Together, we aim to remove some of the fear and misconceptions that many people have around CPR and the use of defibrillators, and hope to be able to pass on some skills to members of the public, so that in the event of an emergency, they could be the difference between a life lost and a life saved."