People in Lancashire urged to become life-savers
A plan to train locals as cardiac responders would 'save people's lives'
Last updated 16th May 2023
People in Lancashire and other communities across the UK are being encouraged to volunteer as cardiac responders to react to cardiac arrests in their own area.
The new drive by The Resuscitation Council UK hopes to save lives by reducing response times and boosting survival chances.
By offering free CPR training and defibrillation awareness to people in town cities and rural areas, the RCUK hopes to build a team of trained responders who will be able to react, when alerted through their phone, before the emergency services arrive.
A statement from the RCUK says:
"With 80% of cardiac arrests taking place out-of-hospital, every second counts. Yet new research shows that only half (51%) of UK adults would be confident to perform CPR on a loved one if they witnessed a cardiac arrest. The lack of quick or effective treatment is a major reason why so few people survive.
"To improve the chances of survival, the Resuscitation Council UK has teamed up with the GoodSAM app to recruit more members of the public to sign up as volunteer cardiac responders, with the aim of teaching them life-saving skills."
Once people have been trained through the Resus Council’s lifesaving course, they’ll be able to sign up to the GoodSAM app which would alert responders – who are members of the public – to a cardiac arrest that is near them, likely a person in need in their own neighbourhood.
We spoke to Mark Jackson, Landlord of the Arden Inn in Accrington.
The venue raised money to install a defibrillator outside following e sudden death of one of their loyal customers and friends.
Mark told us:
"Defibrillators should be available anywhere. Outside shops, pubs and in local communities as they're life saving pieces of equipment and everyone should be able to access one.
"It's very important as if you're in the presence of someone who's having a heart attack or goes into cardiac arrest, you just go into blind panic and ring 999. Chances of survival with someone who knows CPR and with a defibrillator close by, goes up dramatically."
The system will work in collaboration with The Ambulance Service.