South West College students and staff receive ‘Heartstart’ Emergency Life Support Training (1)

The Western Health and Social Care Trust (Western Trust) recently held specialist Heartstart training for students in the Omagh Campus of the South West College. Heartstart is an initiative coordinated by British Heart Foundation (BHF) Northern Ireland to teach members of the public what to do in a life-threatening emergency.

Students at the South West College Omagh campus were also trained in Heartstart and taken through their paces by Betty Dolan and Nicola McGlinchey, Community Resuscitation Development Officers (CRDO) with the Western Trust, who successfully trained over 50 participants on the day.

Roisin Bradley, Curriculum Manager, South West College commented: “The Heartstart programme provides an opportunity for our students to learn simple emergency life support skills – as well as having good fun learning a new skill! We are proud to be the first ‘Heartstart’ College in Western Trust area and our ultimate aim is that every one of our students will have life saving skills.”

Ursula McCollum, Senior Resuscitation Officer, Western Trust said: “In 2009 BHF Northern Ireland funded two Community Resuscitation Development Officers within the Western Trust. Their primary focus is to coordinate and develop Heartstart Emergency Life Support (ELS) training throughout schools, colleges and local community groups using an integrated partnership approach and to develop innovative Community Resuscitation Programmes in line with national, regional and local priorities.”

Heartstart ELS training is a two hour course, free to all community groups. It covers the following topics; dealing with the conscious casualty; dealing with the unconscious casualty; CPR skills; choking; heart attack signs and symptoms and serious bleeding.

Betty and Nicola added: “Current plans with the Southwest College include Heartstart instructor training to enable Emergency Life Support (ELS) training to be cascaded throughout the college, developing it as the first Heartstart College within the Western Trust. By providing opportunities for the public to learn the skills of ELS a person’s life may be saved if people at the scene know what to do until professional help arrives.”

They continued: “In life threatening emergencies such as cardiac arrests, knowing what to do in the first few minutes can make the difference. Research shows that if someone is present who has the skills and ability to act quickly within  minutes of collapse this provides the best possible outcome.”