SAT - Allover - Chris Morphet
Monday 9 December 2024
 3.1°C   SSW Light Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

Health / CPR and defibrillation skills training on offer

Three generations of a Bressay family getting a demonstration from the ambulance service's Kaylee Williamson.

THE FIRE and ambulance services are working together through a partnership with the British Heart Foundation to equip people with vital cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation skills.

Free training sessions are on offer for groups, sports clubs, youth organisations and wider communities.

Local fire chief Matt Mason said a public session was recently organised by the Bressay Community Council, which saw 20 parkrun volunteers and members of the local community trained in CPR and defibrillation.

“It was great to see so many people getting together to learn or refresh such an important skill and particularly young folk from the island,” Mason said.

People attending the sessions will be able to:

  • Learn how to recognise a cardiac arrest and what to do in an emergency situation
  • Understand when you should call 999 and what to expect
  • Learn CPR technique
  • Learn how to use a defibrillator and where you can find your nearest one

The sessions are around 60 to 90 minutes long and include instruction and practice of CPR and defibrillation facilitated by the ambulance and fire team.

“We intend to provide sessions across Shetland and encourage as many people as possible to learn this vital skill,” Mason added.

“We firmly believe that sharing lifesaving CPR skills to every Shetlander will mean fewer families will experience the devastation of losing a loved one.”

Anyone interested in hosting an event should contact matt.mason@firescotland.gov.uk or andrew.mayhew@nhs.scot.

Each year more than 30,000 people have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the UK, with less than one in ten surviving. Giving CPR and using a defibrillator can more than double someone’s chance of survival.

From left to right: Matt Mason, Fiona Mitchell, Bob Hudson.

Meanwhile Shetland was represented at a recent event marking the bicentenary of the formation of the world’s first municipal fire service in Edinburgh.

Become a member of Shetland News

 

Fiona Mitchell, Bob Hudson and Matt Mason from Shetland attended the event at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh last month.

They joined fire colleagues from across Scotland and the UK, HRH Princess Royal, many dignitaries, representatives of all blue light and other agencies for the celebration.

Mason said: “Over the last 200 years, the Scottish Fire and Rescue (SFRS) services have continued to evolve, and innovate, protecting the public through two world wars and some of the most tragic incidents this country has ever faced.

“All of this was made possible by the foundation laid by [James] Braidwood, known as the ‘father of the modern British fire service’. He was a pioneer in the area and his efforts have saved countless lives over the years.

“However, few people are aware of the influence of this remarkable man. His vision, influence and innovations are clear to see to this day in modern fire and rescues services around the world. The values of the modern SFRS – safety, teamwork, innovation and respect – are rooted in the foundations laid down 200 years ago by Braidwood.”

Shetland’s longest serving firefighter, watch commander Bob Hudson of the Walls station, said: “It was a great honour to be requested to attend St Giles and represent SFRS and Shetland to pay my respects and mark the bicentenary.

“I have been in the fire service for over 41 years and being part of the celebration was certainly one of my proudest moments wearing my uniform.”

Become a member of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider paying for membership to get additional features and services: -

  • Remove non-local ads;
  • Bookmark posts to read later;
  • Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
  • Hide membership messages;
  • Comments open for discussion.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a member of Shetland News by either making a single payment, or setting up a monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription.

 
Advertisement 
Advertisement 
Advertisement 
Advertisement 
Advertisement 
Advertisement 

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Have you considered becoming a member of Shetland News?

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please consider paying for membership and get the following features and services: -

  • Remove non-local ads;
  • Bookmark posts to read later;
  • Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
  • Hide membership messages;
  • Comments open for discussion.