East Lothian officers launch defibrillator training for pupils
Community officers in East Lothian have launched defibrillator training for high school pupils.
In partnership with colleagues from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, officers will attend high schools in the area to teach S1 pupils lifesaving skills. The project is one of the first of its kind in Scotland and is aimed at building positive relationships with pupils as they enter high school, encouraging them to be responsible for the safety and wellbeing of others.
The initiative incorporates the British Heart Foundation CPR training platform, including how to use the “999” system, what information the call operator requires, locating a defibrillator and removing it from the secure box, how to apply it to the casualty and what to do until professional medical assistance arrives.
The four training defibrillators are designed to imitate functional devices, with pupils required to successfully carry out the operating procedures.
Students at Musselburgh Grammar School were the first to take part in the new initiative on Friday, 22 February, 2024, with around 100 S1 pupils taking part. It’s hoped the programme will be rolled out to all year groups and build on existing programmes run by school link officers, such as NO KNIVES BETTER LIVES.
East Lothian Community Policing Constable Kevin Hughes said: “I’ve had to use defibrillators in my professional and personal life and I know how vital a resource they are.
“Many youngsters will have seen them becoming more readily available but might not know how to access or properly use one. This training enables them to get that practice and build confidence in the event they come across someone in cardiac arrest.
“I can’t stress enough how vital this training may be to someone’s life in the future and I’m proud of how our local youngsters have engaged with it and shown a real interest in learning how to properly use defibrillators.”
Jenifer Collins is a Community Firefighter with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and helped to deliver the training.
She said: "Promoting CPR and defibrillator education, particularly amongst young people, is absolutely critical.
"Having the skills and confidence to intervene in an emergency can save a life, so a little knowledge can go a long way.
"Events like this are a great way for us to work with partners to share these vital skills."
British Heart Foundation statistics show there are more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) in the UK each year. The overall survival rate in the UK is less than one in ten. Every minute without cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by up to ten per cent. Early CPR and defibrillation can more than double the chances of survival. It is hoped this initiative will go some way to help challenge these odds.
