“…by learning and performing CPR, you could be the difference between life and death for a loved one at home, a colleague at work, or a stranger in the street.”
STS First Aid are proud to raise awareness of the Resuscitation Council (UK) campaign ‘World Restart a Heart Day.’ Restart a Heart Day’ is a global initiative to raise awareness and education of CPR and AEDs in the community and takes place every year on 16th October.
Out of hospital cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in industrialized countries. If more of the public were to start cardiac resuscitation (CPR) before the emergency services arrive, more than 200,000 people could be saved worldwide every year.
Why you should learn CPR
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Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops pumping blood around the body, and causes a person to collapse and stop breathing normally.
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Survival rates from out of hospital cardiac arrest remain stubbornly low in the UK, with fewer than one in ten people surviving. If CPR were more widely taught, thousands of lives could be saved every year. (Resuscitation to Recovery)
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Around 80% of cardiac arrests happen in the home. As people are spending more time at home during COVID-19, that statistic may be higher at the moment. Learning CPR guarantees that you have the skills to help those around you, including in the home.
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Currently in the UK, less than one (8.6%) in ten people survive a cardiac arrest. If we achieved the same survival rates of countries like Norway (25%), where CPR is widely taught in schools, an additional 100 lives could be saved each week – the equivalent of approximately 5,000 every year.
Where to learn CPR
The Resuscitation Council has some great free resources that will give you the basics of how to perform CPR. You can check them out here
At STS we believe that the best way to learn is face to face so if you would like to take your First Aid knowledge to the next level book one of our courses.
Out of hospital cardiac arrests are still happening across the UK, and by learning and performing CPR, you could be the difference between life and death for a loved one at home, a colleague at work, or a stranger in the street.
