Students learn life-saving skills
Youngsters at a Sunderland school welcomed ambulance staff to school to help them learn new lifesaving skills.
Students at Southmoor Academy were keen to take part in Restart A Heart Day, which is held every year.
Ambulance crews went along to the Wearside academy to work with the young people and teach them how to react in an emergency.
Simon Wareham, Director of Personal Development and Careers Leader at the Ryhope Road school, said 247 Year 7s at the school took part in the event, which involved them being trained in CPR.
Restart a Heart Day is a world-wide initiative created by the European Resuscitation Council aimed at raising cardiac arrest awareness among the general public.
It was launched in 2013 to teach members of the public how to help restart the heart of someone who has suffered a cardiac arrest and now takes part in schools every year.
Two of Southmoor Academy’s teaching staff, Jennifer Ellis and Katrina Robson, delivered the lifesaving training to all of our Year 7 students, accompanied by four volunteers from the North East Ambulance Service who generously gave up their day to go along and support the event, showing how the experts do it.
Mr Wareham, said: “Our students were able to practise CPR using a special CPR kit from the British Heart Foundation, which included portable manikins which we keep in school.
“They were also able to ask questions to our ambulance volunteers to learn more about how they can help save lives.
“The students really enjoyed their CPR training session with many commenting about how they feel it is important for everyone to learn this essential lifesaving skill.
“The students really valued the opportunity to practise using the manikins and many felt prepared that they could now help someone if they were having a cardiac arrest.”
The teacher said the Government is currently debating whether basic first aid and CPR should be a compulsory part of the school curriculum, which would mean each child is taught skills which might one day help them save a life.
Mr Wareham went on to say: “We strongly agree at Southmoor that it is essential for all students and staff to learn this skill. We will be continuing to train students each year in CPR so that eventually the whole school will feel confident in what to do to save a life.”
“It is essential for all students and staff to learn this skill” SIMON WAREHAM