Looking for lifesavers in Poplar

Residents in the Aberfeldy Estate, E14, are invited to an open evening which will explain how they have the chance to make a difference in their neighbourhood by responding on foot alongside ambulance staff to patients with life-threatening conditions.

Community First Responder (CFR) volunteers, in conjunction with the London Ambulance Service (LAS), Poplar Housing and Regeneration Community Association (HARCA) and St John Ambulance (SJA), will be trained to a nationally-recognised level of emergency medical care.

LAS Community Resuscitation Training Officer Claire Adams said: “When someone’s heart stops beating, every second counts in getting essential and basic life support to that patient.

“Our ambulances reach more Tower Hamlets patients in a life-threatening condition in less than eight minutes than ever before, but if someone living on the Aberfeldy Estate has the basic skills and equipment, and is dispatched at the same time as our staff, they could often reach the patient even faster, giving them a much greater chance of survival.”

Successful CFR volunteers will be trained to use a defibrillator – a machine that restarts a patient’s heart by delivering an electric shock. These defibrillators are already used in London by staff and the public at train stations, tourist attractions and shopping centres to save lives while an ambulance is on the way.

An open evening will be held at the Aberfeldy Centre, Aberfeldy St, E14 0NU, on Thursday 14 July from 7 – 9pm where people can come along and find out more.

Poplar HARCA's Jeanie Harrison said: “This is a great opportunity for community-minded people who live in the Aberfeldy Estate to make a difference in their neighbourhood by being part of this exciting new scheme. We hope to give residents in other estates the chance to take part in similar initiatives in the future.”

SJA Community Response Lead John Newman said: “Volunteers need to be extremely reliable and trustworthy, good under pressure and able to remain calm in an emergency situation. They don’t need any prior experience because we take them from scratch and provide thorough, confidence-building, supportive training.”

Anyone interested in finding our more should contact Marian Thompson at St John Ambulance on 020 7258 7025, email cfr@london.sja.org.uk, or visit www.londonambulance.nhs.uk/acr