World Restart a Heart Day
Every October an alliance of partners all over the world (including UK Ambulance Services, universities, and other charitable and public sector community-based organisations and first aid training organisations) come together to increase public awareness of cardiac arrests and the number of people trained in lifesaving CPR and defibrillation.
They do this by organising and facilitating training events and by providing opportunities for people to learn CPR and defibrillation digitally in the safety and comfort of their own homes.
You can expect to see Restart a Heart events happening throughout October, and on Restart a Heart day on 16 October. Restart a Heart encourages everyone to become ready for the ultimate medical emergency by learning the steps to CPR and how to use a defib.
Whether you're hosting an event or attending one, teaching in person or learning online, you have a key role to play in improving survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. You can ensure that everyone has a chance to learn the steps to CPR and how to use a defib and that those having a sudden cardiac arrest have their best chance of surviving.
1. Check
Make sure it is safe to approach:
- Check for any response from the victim
- Tilt the head back, lift the chin and check breathing
- If breathing is absent or not normal, CPR is needed
2. Call
Call 112 and follow their instructions. • If someone is there to help, ask them to call 112 for you, and let them fetch an AED • Cardiac compressions are most important for survival. Do not delay or interrupt cardiac compressions
3. Compress
- Place both hands in the centre of the chest
- Compress the chest 5 to 6 cm 100-120 times / min to the rhythm of “Stayin´Alive”
- If you learned how to do it, provide 2 rescue breaths between every 30 compressions, otherwise pump the chest continuously
- Push hard and fast. Don’t worry, you can’t do any harm • If an AED arrives, switch it on immediately and follow the instructions
- Once the emergency services arrive, continue until you are told to stop
- Well done! Doing something saves lives and is ALWAYS better than doing nothing.
Find out more by following the link
