Falmouth firefighters were at the Falmouth branch of Specsavers on Thursday to present certificates to staff who completed their Heartstart first aid training.

A group of volunteers from the town centre opticians recently visited the fire station for the free two-hour course, which teaches basic methods for dealing with choking, with an unconscious person, and with someone suffering a cardiac arrest, as well as how to recognise the signs of a heart attack.

Keryn Carter, who organised the visit, said: “It was really good. We all felt quite knowledgeable.”
As well as receiving basic first aid training staff at the Market Street store have been raising money over the past year to pay for an emergency defibrillator for the town centre, which it is hoped will be placed at Prince of Wales Pier.

The group borrowed an exercise bike from Fit Pit gym and spent a day completing an instore sponsored ride. They also held charity cake sales, as well as asking for donations from customers who dropped in for minor repairs to their glasses and sunglasses over the summer.

The fundraisers made more than £700, with Falmouth Town Council donating another £250, which was matched by another £250 from Specsavers.

  • Heartstart is a programme of free two-hour training sessions, supported by the British Heart Foundation, and open to any interested members of the public.