This week we asked the Manx public if they would be able to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if needed.
Clodagh Reeve, Laxey, had no training and wasn’t confident she could.
She said: ’It’s never been offered, I don’t think it’s clear where you can get the training.
’I’ve never been pushed to do it through education or my jobs.
’I’ve got a two-year-old daughter so choking is something that I’m aware of but before having my child I never knew anything really.
’I had to find out off my own back and it was brought to my attention because I had a child and it was for her benefit rather than my own.’
The 29-year-old continued: ’I think as part of physical education it would be a valid thing to bring up - clue is in the words, physically educate, if we’re told how to define our bodies, what’s best to eat, why should we not be told how to provide help to others if their bodies are in trouble.
’I find when you learn new skills, the best way to keep them there is to practice them but outside a classroom environment if you’ve never been exposed to choking or hazards or having to give CPR, when the time comes, will you still be able to do it?’
Rob, 32, and Carol, 60, Walmsley, Ballasalla, are both carers and felt they’d be able to perform CPR confidently.
Mrs Walmsley said: ’We look after my son who requires care so we’re both trained in CPR.
Every three years we have to update it.
’It should be mandatory [in schools]. Also, show everyone how to use a defibrillator because [the machine] guides you, tells you what to do.
’People should get the training because you can save a life, life’s precious.
’The training should be annual and it changes, they’ve gone from breaths to just compressions, so it does change, get refresher training.’
Emily Leinwand, also from Ballasalla, explained she learnt following an incident where her friend performed CPR.
The 48-year-old said: ’I did it on my own only because you never know when you’re going to need it.
’It was an event that inspired me to get the training when I was really quite shocked that my friend knew what to do.
’I think it should be mandatory in schools, I think the children should be learning because just like us, they’re around other people.
’It’s not just CPR, it’s choking, it’s emergency first aid because things happen so quickly that you need to react quickly.
’I wouldn’t be particularly confident because I’m not a medic, so I don’t have the formal training but in an emergency if no one else knew what to do I would step in.’
Terry, 68, and June, 67, Phipps said that Mr Phipps worked in a hospital for 12 years so had the relevant training.
Mr Phipps, from Birmingham, said: ’It was three or four years ago that I last had a training session.
’Through the 12 years I was there, it did change because by the end you don’t do the actual breaths, you just go straight into the compressions.
’I think the 11 and above age group should be trained because obviously they’ve got parents, they’ve got grandparents. As many people that can be trained need to be trained.’