Youngsters at Marshwood Church of England Primary Academy enjoyed a day of physical health and wellbeing as they learnt the basics of first aid from Anne-Marie Chapman from the South West Ambulance Service.
As part of their training the children, who are at Key Stage 2, learnt how to contact the emergency services, the location of nearby defibrillators and other emergency health services and how to use the 3-Words App to identify their location accurately.
Using the resuscitation dummies, the children then honed their danger, response, help, airway, breathing and circulation skills before practicing their chest compressions and rescue breaths.
All of the children were surprised about how tiring the CPR was. They also saw how effective this basic knowledge was when they watched the recent collapse of Danish footballer Christian Ericksen during Euro 2020.
The children also learned how to put somebody in the recovery position and the importance of reassuring and comforting a casualty.
Luke Owen, headteacher at Marshwood, said: “It is so important that our young people learn the basics of first aid. Especially, when many of our families live in rural locations, far away from the nearest hospitals and ambulance stations.
“Hopefully, none of the children will ever have to use their new found skills but should the need arise, I am confident that they would know what to do and that they would be able to make a difference.”
South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) is saying a big thank you to its colleagues, partners and the public – as the NHS celebrates its 73rd birthday.
More than seven decades after the NHS was founded on 5 July 1948, SWASFT is expressing gratitude to everyone whose dedication, help and support has enabled it to meet the challenges of the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and other pressures.
SWASFT is particularly thankful to its large team of operational and support colleagues, as well as its army of volunteer Community First Responders (CFRs).
It is also especially grateful to its fire and rescue service partners – who have directly assisted frontline teams by driving ambulances and providing much-needed assistance to patients – as well as other emergency services partners it has worked alongside.