Heartstart Course - 27th February 2011 - By Gill James
On Sunday afternoon, 27th February, thirty members of Ross & District Walking Group were instructed by a team of four, led by Dave a rapid response paramedic, from Herefordshire Heart Start on what to do in an emergency, a subject very close to my own heart and that of my husband, Chris.
In May 2009, just as we were preparing to leave home to lead a 9 mile walk near Kington, Chris came downstairs saying he had a severe pain at the top of his spine. His colour was terrible, and whilst to my limited knowledge that was not a classic sign, I realised he was having a heart attack and needed urgent medical treatment. The paramedics arrived in the ambulance within 15 minutes and were treating him within 20 minutes of the whole attack starting. They spent some time stabilising him on thrombolytic drugs before getting him into the ambulance and leaving for Hereford Hospital. Less than a year later I was the emergency when the paramedics returned to take me to hospital requiring stents in my heart. We are now both fit and well and can’t speak highly enough of the treatment we received from making the 999 call to our return home after treatment, including cardiac rehab. Having both attended a Heart Start course previously certainly helped too.
Dave led his Heart Start team in describing what to do if someone collapsed while out on a walk and still breathing. How to first approach then keep the person comfortable, whilst contacting the emergency services to get professional help, using either the more commonly known 999 or 112 which is now the European wide emergency number. When no phones are available and you are not alone, then get them to go to the nearest house for help. If someone collapses in a town there is much more likely to be help nearby. He then demonstrated how to put a casualty into the recovery position and our members were invited to practice on each other. He also told that if the person is found unconscious and not breathing we should immediately try to get help, before starting CPR – chest compressions and mouth to mouth resuscitation. He also explained that it would get very tiring if one person was trying to do this on their own as it does take a lot of strength. Members were then put into small groups and given models, all called Annie, on which to practice resuscitation with chest compressions and mouth to mouth.
When they had fully recovered from that, Franca gave a talk on blood injuries and how to stem the bleeding from the wound. Nowadays tourniquets are not used but pressure is put on the wound until professional help arrives. No foreign objects should be removed as they in themselves may be stopping blood flow. Wendy then told us about causes of heart attacks and what signs and symptoms to look for, and immediate action to take. Professional treatment is needed within a very short time if the patient is to survive, particularly in the case of a severe attack. This is something which needs much more publicity, such as that given on TV to spotting the signs of a stroke. Loraine gave us instruction on dealing with someone who is choking, from a mild case with hard slaps on the back to a severe case which would need abdominal thrusts.
At all stages of the course, participants were encouraged to ask questions and each team member was extremely helpful. Everyone was issued with a Certificate to say they had completed the course that is valid for one year. As a Voluntary Organisation they do not give handouts, but do have some packs and aids for sale at reasonable rates. There is also an excellent publication which gives guidance called “Resuscitation for the Citizen” for sale at £3 per copy available from Herefordshire Heart Start. At 4 o’clock a few more members of the Walking Group came in and the Heart Start team then joined us for tea and cakes.
Herefordshire Heart Start is a voluntary organisation established in 1996 to teach Emergency Life Support skills. All instructors are volunteers and they would be delighted to have many more people join them in giving this important training to the public. Full training is given and expenses covered, so if you are only available on an occasional basis you will still be a valuable member of the team. For further information please email: info@herefordshireheartstart.co.uk or telephone 0845 6060 654. The Herefordshire Heart Start co-ordinator is Loraine Coleman.