FIREFIGHTERS in Bolton want to ensure as many people as possible in Bolton know what to do in a medical emergency.

Bolton borough manager Ian Bailey said: “Figures from the British Heart Foundation show that 387 people died of heart disease in Bolton in just 12 months.

“Cardiac problems affect many people at any age and any time so as a service at the heart of the community, we see it as our responsibility to help make everyone aware of heart health and emergency life support procedures.

“We want to train as many people as possible and we hope they’ll never have to use the techniques they learn, but if they do come across a medical emergency we want them to have the best possible chance at saving someone's life.” The borough’s firefighters have been receiving Heartstart training since Wanderers star Fabrice Muamba suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch in March, 2012.

Bolton Central crews were first to receive training from the North West Ambulance Service and that has since been expanded to firefighters on 13 of the borough’s 14 watches.

Bolton West MP Julie Hilling, who campaigns for life-saving skills to be taught as part of the national curriculum, said: “Children are often the first on the scene of a cardiac arrest and knowing how to do CPR, deal with a serious bleed or how to stop a person choking could save many lives. If only we could make every school leaver a life-saver we could save more than 150,000 lives a year.”