CHILDREN at a Yoker primary school are ready to save lives.

Pupils as young as six at Garscadden Primary have been learning how to respond in an emergency with a defibrillator.

The school, based on Hurlford Avenue, is now equipped with the life-saving device that gives the heart an electric shock when someone has a cardiac arrest.

Pupils and staff had spent months fundraising to buy the defibrillator, which now sits at the school’s reception — and is available for the benefit of the whole community.

Laura MacMillan, teacher of P3/2 at Garscadden Primary, said: “What we really want to do is let the people who live around the school know that we have this piece of equipment and people who are trained to use it. If someone needs to use it, it’s vital we spread the word that the defibrillator is here.” Pupils at the school fundraised through bag packing at Drumchapel Sainsbury’s, Tesco in Knightswood and Asda Clydebank. They also held a fun sponsored runs around Yoker to raise the required £800.

Laura MacMillan continued: “Recently we had a further training session for the defibrillator, so new staff could learn how it works and other staff could freshen up their knowledge of it.” Defibrillation is a common treatment for life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmias and ventricular fibrillation. The device delivers a therapeutic dose of electrical energy to the heart and it can be used on people aged over one years old.

After a cardiac arrest, every minute without CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and defibrillation reduces someone’s chance of survival by 10 per cent.

Defibrillators can save lives and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) can help communities get their own.

Part-funding is available to community organisations such as sports clubs, village halls and community centres.

A spokesman for BHF said: “Please don’t begin to fundraise until your application has been approved as applications are sometimes declined. If you’re an individual who would like to apply for a community package in your area, please call us.

“We also provide defibrillator only part-funding for community first responders; volunteers who provide support to 999 calls in their area.

“Our part-funding programme is not available to GP surgeries, dental practices, schools and colleges or commercial organisations.” The charity can be contacted on 0300 330 3322. Visit www.bhf.org.uk for more information.