The SCAS team had a fantastic day meeting families and sharing lifesaving skills at Andover Fire Station Open Day on Sunday 30 August.
Representing South Central Ambulance Service were Matthew Chapman, HART Paramedic; Alison Bates (AJ), Emergency Dispatcher; and Declan Black, Community First Responder (CFR), who joined other emergency service colleagues for a busy day of community engagement.
The ambulance proved particularly popular, with a constant queue of children and adults keen to climb aboard, explore inside and find out more about the equipment used by ambulance crews.
Matt gave visitors the opportunity to get hands-on with some of the equipment used by paramedics. He set up a ZOLL monitor, allowing people to see their own heart trace on screen, while younger visitors enjoyed finding out how an inflatable splint works by having one fitted themselves.
There was also fantastic engagement around CPR and defibrillator awareness, with children practising CPR on training manikins and learning how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). Parents were encouraged to join in too, with teams handing them the training defibrillator and asking them to help their children work out where the pads should be placed.
The activities provided a fun and accessible way for families to learn skills that could one day help save a life, while giving them the confidence to understand how simple it can be to use a defibrillator.
Later in the day, Declan, an Andover Community First Responder, joined the team to provide additional support with the demonstrations and talk to visitors about the important role CFRs play within their local communities.
A big thank you to Matt, AJ and Declan for representing SCAS and making the day such an interactive experience, and to Andover Fire Station for a wonderful community event.