Paramedic students and staff at Keele University are taking part in a 24-hour CPR challenge to raise money for an air ambulance service.

They will perform the life-saving procedure on a training mannequin non-stop from 12pm on Thursday, March 6th until the same time the following day.

The event has been organised by the University’s Paramedic Society to support Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, that operates and funds three air ambulances covering six counties in England, including Staffordshire and Shropshire.

Hannah Standing, a fourth-year paramedic science student at Keele and Secretary of the Keele Paramedic Society, said: "This is the first time we have attempted a 24-hour CPR marathon. We wanted to take on this challenge to push ourselves while raising funds for an incredible cause.

"We chose to support Midlands Air Ambulance Charity because of the lifesaving work they do across our region. They operate three air ambulances and a fleet of critical care cars, responding to serious emergencies where every second counts.

"As student paramedics, we see first-hand the importance of rapid response in saving lives, and we wanted to do our part to help keep this vital service running."

So far more than 80 volunteers have signed up for the challenge being held in the Students' Union building, with organisers hoping to have 144 people taking part in total.

The key part of CPR - cardiopulmonary resuscitation - is chest compressions, which keep blood flowing to vital organs. As well as raising money for charity, Hannah said the event was also about increasing awareness of CPR and providing hands-on training to as many people as possible.

"We are using CPR dummies for the event and have some available for training. Other Keele Paramedic Science students and society members will be offering CPR demonstrations using specialist mannequins, giving university staff, students, and the public the chance to learn this lifesaving skill. We want to empower more people to step in and help during emergencies," Hannah said.

"CPR is a vital skill that can mean the difference between life and death in a medical emergency. When someone suffers a cardiac arrest, immediate CPR can double or even triple their chances of survival by keeping blood flowing to the brain and other vital organs until professional help arrives.

"The more people who know how to perform CPR, the better the chances of saving lives in our communities,” she added.

Anyone interested in volunteering for the challenge can email soc.paramedics@keele.ac.uk 

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