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Community First Aid and Lifesaving Training Courses

AED and CPR Training in the Community

This year Antrim and Newtownabbey Council have successfully delivered The Community First Aid and Lifesaving skills Programme to 120 people across seven community centres / facilities in the Borough.

The Community First Aid and Lifesaving Skills Programme was actioned following concern that many people lacked confidence in how to operate and utilise a defibrillator (AED) in an emergency.

Trained nurses deliver the 3-hour accredited course and the course teaches the responsibilities of a first responder, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), and use of AED.

First Aid Training Courses

Antrim and Newtownabbey Council want to continue upskilling communities across the Borough with lifesaving skills by offering further free training courses of the Community First Aid and Lifesaving Skills Programme which will be delivered in the period from January 2024 - November 2024. These course are now fully booked.

How this training can help during an OHCA

In Northern Ireland there is only approximately a 10% chance of surviving an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). The British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland states that every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by up to 10%. However, in some cases, early CPR and defibrillation can more than double the chances of survival. Therefore, having a firm understanding of CPR and the confidence to operate a defibrillator correctly can be crucial in an emergency.