FIFTY seven people were trained in basic CPR at Droitwich fire station on Restart a Heart Day on Tuesday.
Peter Richards from Droitwich AED (Automated External Defibrillators) also taught 111 youngsters from Westacre Middle School life-saving skills last Friday.
This ‘Shocktober’ awareness month marks a milestone for Droitwich which now has 35 defibrillators at venues across the town – two years ago it only had one.
The situation prompted West Midlands Ambulance Service paramedic and Droitwich Community First Responder Simon Clare to team up with Mr Richards and us at The Standard to launch a campaign to get more.
Mr Clare said: “It’s an incredible turn-around in just two years – with the help of Droitwich AED and West Midlands Ambulance Service – we have gone from just one defibrillator that was locked away to 35 in the town.”
The AEDs across Droitwich have already been accessed several times by people ringing 999 and the ambulance service advising them of the location of the closest AED in order to try to improve the outcome of a cardiac arrest.
Mr Richards said: “We couldn’t have done all this without the support of the community and local people.
“But all this effort and money is worthless unless we have people trained in CPR.
“It is essential people have the skills to keep patients alive until the defib gets to them.”
Over the next three years the group faces another challenge – to raise between £12,500 and £15,000 so the defib batteries can be replaced.
Mr Richards added although the training on Tuesday was free, the generous learners donated £221.72 to Droitwich AED, which was enough to replace a battery and set of pads for an AED.
The next free Basic Life Support course is at Droitwich Fire Station at 9am on November 2.
Call Peter on 07957 214101, email [email protected] or visit droitwich-aed.org.uk for more information on the training or the campaign.
Alternatively search for Droitwich AED on Facebook.
