The quick actions of a cyclist’s friends, strangers and emergency services helped get him to Noble’s Hospital safely after he collapsed from a cardiac arrest last week.

We reported in the following Examiner that cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was used to keep him alive while the ambulance arrived.

These skills were vital in this situation.

Taking to the Douglas streets, we asked members of the public if they’ve received first aid training.

’I’ve had first aid training, but that was about nine years ago when I worked at a bank,’ said Hazel Fox, 42, from Braddan.

’They’ve already got first aiders at the company I now work for. If I was asked, I’d be a first aider.

’My husband, who works at Union Mills football club has regular first aid training.’

She said that she would ’not feel comfortable’ using a defibrillator

’If there was someone there who knew what to do I’d ask: "What else would you like me to do?". It depends on the situation. You don’t know until it happens.

’One of my sons who goes to Ballakermeen High School does life skills classes and he personally said first aid is something he would like to learn.

’He does want to go into coaching so he’ll need to know it. I think it will be good to have those skills.’

She added: ’With people’s conditions or weather conditions - for example the heat in the Parish Walk - the more people who know how to do first aid the better.’

Edward Corrin, 74, who lives in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, but is originally from Ramsey, said: ’I’ve not had first aid training in CPR. I was a school teacher so I had to know what to do if a kid fainted or a similar incident.

’I think first aid is absolutely a vital life skill. You hear so many cases about so many lives being saved because people knew what to do.’

When asked if he would feel comfortable using a defibrillator in an emergency, he replied: ’No, simply because I’ve never been trained to use one.

’It’s possibly an age thing that I’ve not had any first aid training. You don’t put yourself forward for those thing as much as you once did.’

Lorraine Green, 66, from Bolton in Lancashire, said: ’I’ve not done first aid training and have never done CPR, but I’ve seen it on telly. There was that advertisement to the song Staying Alive showing you how to do it.

’I think training is being brought in a bit more to schools. It should be learnt at school or be given as an opportunity to learn so it will become the norm.

’My grandson has joined St John Ambulance and has done all of that.’

She said that if someone were in need of a defibrillator and there was no one else around she would ’give it a go’.

’Majority of people would be in shock.

’My first instinct would be to ring 999, but if I know how to do it I would get someone else to ring 999 and do it. Watching these TV programmes you see the operators telling you what to do.

Douglas resident Kim Clark, 42, has been on a number of refresher courses with Red Cross as part of her work. She is the first aider on her floor.

’Originally it’s a two- to three-day course and then you have refresher courses,’ she said.

’The defibrillator one is just a couple of hours in a day. It’s really good and does everything for you. Just make sure you stand back and don’t touch it. They’re getting a lot more defibrillators around the island, which is really good.

’I think the first aid courses should be part of your maternity leave.

’ When my first was born he choked on his porridge at the time it was very scary. There should be a day course for pregnant women to show how to deal with infants and young children in an emergency.

’First aid is good to have if it ever comes to the crunch.’

John Phillips, 22, from Marown, had session on how to do CPR when he was in year 11 [aged 15 and 16] at school.

He said: ’It was a couple of sessions over a couple of weeks at St Ninian’s High School. I remember majority of the basics. It was really good and thankfully I’ve not had to use it yet.

’I would be very apprehensive if I had to be the one to use a defibrillator. I think training is needed in schools for CPR and how to use a defibrillator as well.’

Jacqui Gill, 19, from Onchan, said: ’I don’t think I’ve done first aid. I would really like to do it because if something happened I would be like "what do I do!".

When asked what might encourage people to get first aid training, she replied: ’Maybe there could be pop ups in the street for first aid training. People like things going on in town.’