RESIDENTS of a North Craven town are being urged to learn emergency techniques which could help them to save lives.

Ingleton is the latest community to unveil its first 'open access' defibrillator, which can help to save the life of someone undergoing a cardiac arrest when time is of the essence.

Many other Craven settlements have already installed defibrillators, which are usually used as the next step following the application of correct techniques for restarting the heart.

The Ingleton Save a Life Project has been started by villager Laraine Sullivan, a former nurse and clinical instructor at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary who has also been an advanced life-support instructor with the Resuscitation Council since 2007.

She is leading a series of training sessions in the town throughout the year, and there is an information session about the project at Ingleborough Community Centre on Saturday, May 23, from 2pm to 4pm.

Laraine says: "The aim is to have an effective community of people who are able to resuscitate in a cardiac arrest situation, and to raise more than £7,000 to eventually get several defibrillators situated throughout the village.

"Although the town is fairly small, we get thousands of visitors over the summer.

"A cardiac arrest occurs when the normal electrical activity which controls the heart is replaced by a chaotic disorganised electrical rhythm, the heart stops beating effectively and the circulation of blood stops.

"The only thing that can return the heart back to its normal rhythm is a high-energy electric shock, which needs to be delivered by a defibrillator. Defibrillators can be used by lay people - they are safe and will not allow a shock to be given unless the heart needs it.

"The problem is that for every minute that goes by without CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and defibrillation the person's chance of survival is reduced by seven to ten per cent.

"This is why it is important that a lot of people in the town know what to do and how to access a defibrillator. Ingleton is a town with a strong sense of community. I am certain we can do this."

About 600 people under 35 in Britain die from an 'unexpected cardiac event' every year - and often the exact cause of death is never discovered.

In Ingleton, enough cash has already been donated to buy one defibrillator, plus the cabinet in which to house it, and it will be put in place shortly. All the machines will go on the outside of buildings so that they can be readily accessed at all times.

The key to effective use of defibrillators, says Laraine, is that they are at the end of a 'chain of use' - a third step following dialling 999 for emergency help and proper use of CPR techniques.

This is why it is so important to have a large group of people in the village who can put this chain into practice - "to be part of the fabric of our community," says Laraine.

A committee has been formed to raise money and the project has the backing of SADS UK, an organisation which raises awareness of Sudden Arrthymic Death Syndrome, or premature sudden cardiac death.

The organisation, along with the British Heart Foundation and the Resuscitation Council, has lobbied for 'emergency life support' to be placed on the schools' National Curriculum. This was refused by the Government, although it has recommended that the topic should be covered in all schools in the country.

The dates for the training sessions organised by Laraine are today at 2pm in the community centre; then July 10, August 19, September 3, September 28; November 3, December 10.

Further information can be obtained by emailing laraine.sullivan@me.com To make a donation search for 'ISavealife' on the Just Giving website or contact the project treasurer Jenny Thistlethwaite on 07801 365319.

However, Ingleton is just one of the many Craven communities to take delivery of lifesaving defibrillators.

Bradford councillors Adrian Naylor and Chris Atkinson have used cash from their ward allocation to buy machines for Silsden and Steeton, and there is a public meeting at Burton-in-Lonsdale Village Hall on Wednesday evening to demonstrate how its new automatic defibrillator works.

In Settle, teenager Kate Beresford, who is a member of the Settle Patient Participation Group, launched a fundraising campaign at the end of last year to buy three defibrillators for the town.

But perhaps the longest-running scheme locally is in Addingham, where the First Responder Group has just celebrated its tenth anniversary.

Over the years, its volunteers have helped with nearly 500 calls, with many favourable outcomes.

In 2010, they also launched Heartstart training to the community and will shortly train the 1,000th person. They also give Heartstart training to year six pupils at Addingham Primary School.