A group including two cardiac arrest survivors are launching a community first responders team for Lisburn and surrounding areas to assist the ambulance service.
The team behind Avonmore Training Solutions are hoping their group, the Mid Down and Lisburn Community First Responders, can help with emergency call-outs and save lives.
As well as covering the city of Lisburn, the group will also service Dunmurry and other parts of West Belfast, Dromore, Dromara, Caryduff, Glenavy and Moira, with plans to move further west into Co Tyrone as they gain momentum.
Read more: Teen saves mum after she suffers cardiac arrest when alarm went off
Two members of the group, Lynda Donaldson and Clare Doyle, are both cardiac arrest survivors, and so know how vital it is that members of the public are trained in life-saving skills such as CPR.
Each year in Northern Ireland, there are roughly 1,400 out of hospital cardiac arrests, with the survival rate at less than 10%.
Lynda and Clare shared their stories with Belfast Live to show the importance of learning skills such as CPR, and to highlight why groups like their community first responders team are much-needed.
"Eleven years ago I had a cardiac arrest in Saintfield. It just came out of the blue, there was no warning or pain, I just dropped," Lynda said.
"They were tarmacking the road that day, so traffic was really slow. Michelle McAvoy, who was the school nurse at Sullivan Upper, was driving past on her way home from a first aid course. As the traffic was slow, she was almost at a standstill, and she saw me lying on the footpath.
"She was able to see I was in trouble so started CPR. While she was doing that, Phil Batt who is a first aid trainer, was also on his way home from a first aid course, he was stopped in traffic and happened to look and see Michelle doing CPR.
"He said he couldn't believe what he was seeing, but he had a defibrillator in his car and oxygen, so he abandoned his car in traffic and came over. Between them, they had me resuscitated while I was still lying in the street. I remember everything from that, so I only lost a few minutes. It's unusual for someone not to lose a few weeks when they have a cardiac arrest."
Explaining that she was inspired to start Avonmore Training Solutions after this, as a way to help more people become skilled in life-saving techniques, Lynda said setting up the community first responders team is the next step in this.
She added: "It's been therapy to talk about what happened to me because there was no reason or cause for it, there was nothing to fix. I have an implanted defibrillator so if it ever happens again it's there. It's a scary thing whenever you think about it."
Clare Doyle had a cardiac arrest in August 2017, just after she woke up, pressed snooze on her alarm, and rolled over to fall back to sleep.
"I woke up three days later and was told I suffered a cardiac arrest when I drifted back over to sleep," Clare explained.
"My 14-year-old daughter was thankfully in the room at the time, and she very quickly realised I was unresponsive and not breathing, so she called 999 and performed CPR immediately.
"The closest ambulance was in Ballynahinch and I live in Lisburn, so they dispatched police officers because by the time the ambulance got to me, it probably would have been too late. They arrived with their defibrillator, it worked out, and I live to tell the tale.
"The importance of that CPR is crucial. My daughter, Melissa, was taught it in school and she started it straight away. Without that CPR, I may not be here or the same person, so I really have Melissa to thank for that.
"I think this scheme is fantastic. Lynda and I know only too well the importance of that immediate attention. It's great and I'm really happy to be on board with it."
The group's co-ordinator, Graham Walsh, explained that the group needs to raise around £30,000 so each of their volunteers is able to have their own kit bags with essential items including defibrillators.
He said: "Each volunteer responder needs to have a kit bag that includes a defibrillator in it and they don't come cheap. We have some entry level defibrillators, they'll do the job, but we want to get some of the specialised ones that switch from adult to pediatric so they have that option."
The Mid Down & Lisburn District Community First Responders will have their first public meeting at Lagan Valley Island, Lisburn, at 7pm on March 22. You can find out more about the group and get involved by clicking here.
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