Some 160 first year students at a city secondary school have been trained in basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR ).
St Joseph’s college,“the Bish”, is the first Galway school working with the heart charity Croí as part of the “Croí Friendly Schools” initiative.
The Nuns’ Island school has installed two defibrillators [heart start machines] for both on and off-site use and five staff members are trained and certified as first responders.
Outgoing principal John O’ Keeffe says all its first year students are now trained in CPR.
“We hope to continue this training annually with our first years so that in five years time all our students will be equipped with this very valuable life saving skill.”
The students and staff were trained as part of Croí’s new school’s initiative which is run by the charity’s centre for life-saving training. The project focuses on emphasising the importance of teaching the basics of CPR to post-primary school students.
Catherine Sheridan, the co-ordinator of the Croí Centre for Lifesaving Training, says lifesaving skills learned by the students and staff of the Bish could some day save a person’s life.
“In our schools programmes we teach students and staff what to do if someone collapses or their heart suddenly stops beating. We also teach them how to respond if someone is choking.
“We hope our new schools initiative will raise awareness levels of how to recognise and respond to cardiac emergencies; and teach students and staff basic lifesaving skills which could one day save someone’s life.”
As part of the Croí Friendly Schools initiative training is offered to all secondary school pupils and their teachers. Training sessions are scheduled within the school timetable to suit the needs and requirements of individual schools.
For further information on the programme contact Catherine Sheridan RGN, Croí Centre for Lifesaving Training at (091 ) 480816 or email [email protected] Further details are available on www.croi.ie
