The Isle of Wight Ambulance Service has thanked Mari Griffiths of The Salix Café in Shanklin for her success in organising 100 members of the local community to be trained to use a defibrillator as part of the 100-4-1-Life campaign.
The initiative was founded by Gordon Wight of Brading Haven Yacht Club and initially saw the Isle of Wight Ambulance Training and Community Response Services (ATCoRS) team successfully deliver a professional training package to 110 people.
Now, thanks to the efforts of Mari, a second cohort of 100 people have been taught to use the life-saving device. The training took place at The Salix, which is situated on the revetment between Shanklin and Sandown.
Louise Walker, Head of the Isle of Wight ATCoRS said:
“Mari is now the second event organiser to successfully arrange training of 100 people and the fact that she did this within two months is an absolute incredible achievement.
“It is absolutely critical that the public know how to; recognise a cardiac arrest, call 999 for an Ambulance and commence CPR. The fact that Mari has orchestrated such a successful training event for us to come in and teach the public these live saving skills, demonstrates what an amazing credit she is to our local community and I cannot thank her enough for all her effort”.
The Salix Café has a Public Access Defibrillator (PAD) available 24/7. A defibrillator is a portable device that can be used by a member of a public in the event of cardiac arrest. A cardiac arrest is when a casualty becomes unconscious and is not breathing normally because the heart has stopped pumping oxygenated blood around the body.
A defibrillator will analyse a casualty’s heart rhythm and shock them if needed. For every minute that passes without defibrillation and Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), chances of survival decrease by around 10%. In the event of a cardiac arrest the rescuer must dial 999 for the Ambulance Service who will make the caller aware of their nearest defibrillator.
