April 2018 Cuimhne blog: Emergency Life Skills Training
Back to all
Essential Training for Volunteers
The London Ambulance Service offers basic training over 3 hours in Emergency Life Support Skills (ELSS), and this training itself is run by volunteers. Training is held at the London Ambulance Service Headquarters in Waterloo bringing volunteers from a range of different charities for shared practical learning.
Through our Cuimhne programme, a number of people have been accessing this course and it is highly recommended by Cuimhne Champions.
Cuimhne Champion Caroline Hyland says
“I would recommend this training to everyone. Why? Have you ever been in a situation where you have seen someone injured and have not been sure of how to respond? ELSS’ training provides important information and practical demonstration of the Do’s and Don’ts in an emergency situation.
“You will learn about the importance of CPR and how it can increase the survival rate of someone who has had a cardiac arrest; you will also get the chance to practise compressions and rescue breaths (CPR) on a resuscitation training manikin.
“In addition, you will also learn what to do if someone is choking or if someone has a serious bleed; and finally you will be taught how to put someone into the recovery position. Essential useful training for everyone and can be used in so many different situations.”
Volunteers at training
Tina, Zibiah, Wezenet and Mohamed who are working together to help develop new dementia friendly activities at St Mellitis Church joined Emergency Life Skills Training in April.
Tina “Enjoyed the course. Always good to revise as methods of resuscitation do alter. The defibrillator luckily has instructions with it. Like most things if you don’t use it you lose it but can easily pick it up following these instructions.”
Wezenet: “The training was really useful”
If you are volunteering with a charity, for instance looking to set up a dementia support group in your own organisation, you may be able to sign up for a free course.
Please contact Antoinette Williamson in the resuscitation training team on 020 7783 2534 or email resustraining@londonambulance.nhs.uk for more details and to sign up.
There are some very useful first aid smartphones apps that you can download free of charge onto your phones – you never know when you may need this, for example:
St John Ambulance/British Red Cross – First First Aid Smartphone Apps