NI council offering free CPR and defibrillator training

A Northern Ireland council is rolling out a series of free CPR and defibrillator training courses across their borough.

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council have announced that the life saving sessions will be available at a number of their community centres in the coming weeks with some courses already fully booked.

Announcing the courses, the council said that there are around 1,400 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) in Northern Ireland each year and having someone trained in CPR and AED nearby can significantly increase the chance of survival.

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In Northern Ireland there is only approximately a 10 per cent chance of surviving an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).

The British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland states that every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by up to 10 per cent.

However, in some cases, early CPR and defibrillation can more than double the chances of survival. Therefore, having a firm understanding of CPR and the confidence to operate a defibrillator correctly can be crucial in an emergency.

Deputy Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Leah Smyth said: “A sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any time, regardless of your age.

"This training equips you with the knowledge and skills which could one day prove to be lifesaving. I would encourage community organisation and facilities’ staff to avail of this indispensable training.”

The courses at Lilian Bland Pavilion and Mossley Pavilion on May 11 and July 3 are fully booked, however spaces are available at Neillsbrook Community Centre on May 15 from 1.30pm to 4.30pm, Stiles Community Centre on July 19 from 5.30pm to 8.30pm and Lilian Bland Pavilion on August 14 from 1.30pm to 4.30pm.

To register for this training visit antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/FirstAidTraining.

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