[T]he MP for Copeland will be joined by Copeland’s Mayor on Thursday for a life-saving lesson on how to use Community Public Access Defibrillators (CPADS).
Trudy Harrison, MP and Copeland’s Mayor, Mike Starkie will take part in a practical training session in King Street as part of the Whitehaven CPAD Project run by the North-West Ambulance Service.
Working to increase survival rates of out of hospital cardiac arrests in Whitehaven and surrounding areas, the session will help to raise awareness of CPADS locations around the town.
A Community Public Access Defibrillator (CPAD) is when the automated external defibrillator AED is locked into an external cabinet in the community that can be opened with a code provided by the 999-call taker.
Trudy Harrison MP, said: “I am really looking forward to learning more about Whitehaven’s CPADS Project and how to effectively use an automated external defibrillator – I expect it will be an invaluable lesson.
“In a rural area like Copeland, it could be a matter of life or death and is why it is so imperative that as many people as possible are fully equipped to recognise and help someone who is in cardiac arrest.
“I commend the North-West Ambulance Service for their proactive approach and I urge the local community to get involved and make themselves aware of their nearest CPAD.”
The project is also working to increase the number of people who are fully trained to use an AED.
Copeland Mayor, Mike Starkie, said: “I’m happy to be helping to raise awareness of the project to increase both number of defibrillators we have and the number of people trained in life-saving skills.
“Trudy and I are extremely supportive of the efforts to make Whitehaven a cardiac-friendly town.”