Community campaign to create Britain’s first ‘town of lifesavers’
A CAMPAIGN to make Ilkley the first community in Britain to earn the designation “town of lifesavers”, was launched yesterday.
A calendar of live demonstrations this month and next aims to get one person in 10 to complete Ilkley’s Got Heart, an online course in basic lifesaving techniques.
The first, on the piazza outside Ilkley Station, was held yesterday by Paula Colman, who owns a local first aid training company.
She said: “The online course is very easy – there is no pressure and you come away with more confidence, skills and knowledge you can put in to practice should an emergency situation arise.
“It’s about 45 minutes of your life, which in turn could potentially save a life. You’ll feel great once you’ve done it.”
The campaign was launched after national figures suggested that one person in five was likely to encounter someone collapsing and requiring emergency first aid to stay alive.
Mark Smith, a postman in Ilkley, who was saved by the landlord of the Dalesway pub when he collapsed at the bar, said that the 30-minute wait for an ambulance could have made the difference between life or death, had he not received attention at the scene from Ian Collins.
“I can’t stress how lucky I was. It was fortunate Ian had the first aid skills to keep calm and act with confidence,” Mr Smith said.
Another resident, identified only as Amanda, said she had given CPR to a man who had collapsed on the street and previously helped to save her son’s life by performing choking intervention.
She said: “Knowing what to do and remaining calm is vital in an emergency as I know after dealing with, not one, but two lifethreatening situations.
“I would urge everyone to at least take the Ilkley’s Got Heart course if nothing else. Even if you can’t physically give first aid you can direct others, remaining calm and helping to make the difference.”
The online course is at www.ilkleysgotheart.co.uk.