A GROUP of mums has been taught life-saving child and baby first aid by firefighters at Stretford Fire Station.

Meeting for the first time on Tuesday they were taught basic paediatric life support and what to do if babies or children choke.

The training was delivered by firefighters Kevin Williams, Sarah Baker and Mark Currie.

Kevin said: “I wanted to share my training with the mums because my son Max is just six-months-old so I know what it’s like to worry.

“He is the reason I volunteered and it’s great to share our skills. Basic life support is different for babies and children, it’s all about getting air into their lungs and the breaths go around the mouth and nose.

“Hopefully the parents will never need the skills, but they’re good to have just in case.”

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) community safety adviser Katy O’Connor approached children’s centres and Sure Start groups across Trafford to see if GMFRS could help them with any services.

She said: “I wanted to get more people from Stretford into our community fire station and the demand was there from the Sure Start centres.

“They were really keen to get involved with the first aid we could offer them.”

Mothers were shown how to check a baby’s airway safely before giving breaths and safe compressions.

“We also told the parents that if a baby is choking, you should never fish objects out of their mouths because you can make a partial blockage into a full one,” said Firefighter Williams.

“We were able to show the mums the correct way to deal with a choking child so hopefully that put some minds at rest.”

Mum Anna Stopes was joined on the course at Stretford Fire Station by her two daughters, three-year-old Nina and six-month-old Gretta.

She said: “It was great and I learnt so much. It’s really reassuring because my youngest has just started on solids so the advice on what to do if she chokes was invaluable.

“I never thought the firefighters would teach first aid, but I guess they do quite a bit of it as first responders, so it makes sense.”

Mum Lucy Lightowler said: “It was great, I had no idea the fire service did this kind of thing.

"It was really good because the firefighters summarised the really important bits so it will stick with me now.”

Station manager for Stretford, Ben Levy said: “Child and infant deaths are incredibly devastating to families and the entire community, so GMFRS is pleased to offer baby and child CPR training to parents in Trafford.

“Our firefighters are trained in basic life support and it’s great that they want to share their skills.

“Hopefully after this pilot we can extend and open up this training to as many parents as possible.”

Katy O’Connor added: “Demand is that great that we are looking at doing some at children’s centres and groups in the future. We hope to do one in Sale Moor at the end of April.”