St Colman’s Community College in Midleton are one of three Cork schools that have been recognised with a prestigious Irish Heart Foundation award for training their students in the lifesaving skill of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
They were among 33 schools across Ireland presented with 63 awards as part of the national heart and stroke charity’s CPR 4 Schools programme, where schools, teachers and students undertake CPR promotion and training.
Ninety-per-cent of secondary schools have engaged in the programme since its inception, with 2,630 teachers involved across 649 schools to deliver CPR training, giving the programme a reach of over 350,000 students nationwide. Coláiste Ghobnatan in Baile Mhic Íre and Coláiste Muire in Cobh also received a CPR 4 Schools award. Three Limerick schools and two Waterford schools have also been honoured, this year.
The charity is now calling on all schools to sign up to help build a new generation of lifesavers. The programme trains students to perform CPR and respond in a cardiac emergency, use an AED (defibrillator) and respond when someone is choking.
Easy to run, it involves one-hour, video-led lessons, fully supported with manikin kits and classroom resources. Schools benefit by awards recognising their participation and positive student engagement, while families and entire communities gain by having young people emerge as confident lifesavers.
LIFE SKILL
A person’s chance of survival is doubled when CPR is started immediately. By learning CPR once in your life, you are 10 times more likely to respond to an emergency than someone who has never received training.
Post-primary school teachers interested in signing up for the free programme can register by e-mailing: schools@irishheart.ie. To find out more about CPR 4 Schools, visit irishheart.ie/cpr4schools
