STV NewsPrimary school pupils in Fife are being taught vital life-saving skills as part of a new programme.
Burntisland Primary are the first to host the new Mini Medics programme, which will reach 1,000 pupils across ten primary schools in the region over the next two weeks.
Pupils are receiving hands-on experience in first aid, from CPR to helping someone who is choking.
Teachers say the programme not only boosts confidence in the classroom, but also inspires children to pass on lifesaving skills at home.
Head teacher Louise Gordon: “We found out that Exxon were going to offer Mini Medics for our children from Primary Four to Primary Seven.
“We thought that was a really good initiative.
“It fits in with a lot of things we are doing in the school in terms of boosting our STEM learning in particular.
STV NewsScotland sees nearly 4,000 cardiac arrests each year, but only one in ten survives. Early CPR and defibrillation can more than double the chances of survival.
Last year, a medical emergency occurred at Burntisland Primary School. A staff member trained in using a defibrillator stepped in and saved the woman’s life.
The head teacher added: “We are really lucky on our site to have a public access defibrillator, not everybody has that, but I think it is important for all of us to know where defibrillators are in our local community.
“We offered it [first aid training] to all of our members of staff if they wished to stay behind after school to be trained.
“So that if you were the person in that situation next time, you’d know what to do.”
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