Claire inspires over 1,000 people to learn life-saving skills

East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) offers free CPR and defibrillator training to equip people with the skills to save a life.  When Claire Whitehouse turned to the charity to help train ’50 life-savers for Thorpe’ she never imagined the overwhelming response she would receive from her community, which has resulted in 1,111 people being trained in life-saving CPR skills and how to confidently use a defibrillator.

RESCUE: Claire Whitehouse, who helped after her neighbour suffered a cardiac arrest, with her family and the East Anglian Air Ambulance. Pictures: EAAA.

It all began in August 2023 when Claire was at home with her daughters, five-year-old Eva and Robyn, who was just 10 weeks old. A neighbour knocked on the door to say her husband had collapsed and needed help. Claire, a Nurse Researcher, had previously worked in Intensive Care and receives annual life support training. She picked up Robyn and calmly told Eva that they were going to a ‘real life Bondi rescue’ – a television programme Eva had watched.

Claire’s neighbour, John, had suffered a cardiac arrest. With the support of her husband, another neighbour who fetched a nearby community defibrillator, and the 999-call handler, Claire performed CPR before paramedics from the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) arrived. The first thing John remembered when he came round was Eva holding his hand and saying: ‘Good job, Mummy.”

John was taken to hospital by the ambulance service for further treatment and recovered thanks to the early CPR and defibrillation he received. However, Claire wondered what would have happened if she hadn’t known what to do.  How many people in her local community might not step into a similar situation because they didn’t know how to help?

“Through my job, I receive mandatory annual life-saving training. I can’t imagine what it would have been like if I didn’t have that knowledge to draw on.” Claire said, “but people don’t have to feel that way – so I contacted East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) and learned that they offer free training in CPR skills and how to use a defibrillator.”

Claire posted in some local community social media groups to see if a few people might be interested in receiving a training session with EAAA. She hoped that she might be able to encourage 50 people from the Thorpe area to receive CPR training.

“Seventy-six people replied, with many saying they had friends and family members interested too. It was an incredible response,” Claire said.

She liaised with the Community CPR Training team at EAAA to book four one-hour training sessions to accommodate all those who wanted to attend. She secured Thorpe Bowling Club venue free of charge and the places were quickly filled. Claire’s neighbour John had recovered well, and he and his wife also attended the sessions, which were delivered by Simone Black, CPR Trainer with EAAA.

Claire made the school aware of what happened and how Eva helped. “I asked if they might join the initiative for Eva’s class; they jumped at the idea and said, ‘let’s train the whole school!”  Simone hosted the CPR sessions over two days in November. All the children took part in the learning, from Reception right through to Year Six, and there has since been CPR sessions held at other local Thorpe schools and Norwich Table Tennis Club too to achieve the total of 1,111 people trained.”

Simone Black, EAAA Community CPR Trainer said: “The free one-hour CPR and defibrillator training delivered by EAAA is a course that really works. Our aim is to remove any fear that people may have by demonstrating that performing CPR and using a community defibrillator is easier than you think. 999-call handlers guide you in emergency situations so you’re never on your own – but starting the chain of survival as soon as possible could make a life-saving difference to somebody in cardiac arrest. Thanks to Claire, 1,111 people from the Thorpe area are now confident and equipped with the skills and knowledge to help save a life.”