October 16th is Restart a Heart Day, a campaign led by the Resuscitation Council to improve the survival rate of out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests (SDAs).

This public awareness day sees a partnership of many organisations, including The British Heart Foundation, British Red Cross, St John Ambulance and Yorkshire Ambulance Service, all in hope to increase public awareness and, ultimately, save lives every day.

SDA stats

In the UK, more than 30,000 SDAs occur outside of hospital every year. Unfortunately, the survival rate in these occurrences is less than 1 in 10.

Restart a Heart Day aims to highlight the ways in which bystanders can help to rescue an SDA victim, from calling 999 to performing the right kind of aid.

CPR and First Aid Training

A massive part of the Restart a Heart initiative is to increase the number of people trained in life-saving CPR – which stands for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (meaning the recovery of the heart and lungs).

Without CPR the chances of surviving cardiac arrest are zero.

We’ve all seen it on TV and in the movies, but would you know what to do if you were required to perform CPR?

Proper training for this is a key part of First Aid courses. A lot of people may not think they need First Aid training if it’s not required of them in their job, however this kind of knowledge is invaluable for anyone in day-to-day life.

SDA survival stat

You never know whether you’re going to be a bystander in an emergency situation – the more people that are trained in First Aid, the more likely it is that an SDA victim is around someone who can help.

That’s why we were relieved to hear about recent changes to England’s health curriculum, introducing first aid lessons to primary and secondary schools.

So, if you don’t know First Aid, or if your knowledge is outdated or rusty, then don’t hesitate in booking on to a course – it could literally be a matter of life or death.

Automatic External Defibrillators

AEDs are another thing we’ve all seen on the big screen, but you’d be surprised how often they’re needed in real life.

Head over to our ultimate guide on AEDs; it’s a comprehensive low-down for people with any level of AED knowledge, answering the most frequently asked questions from “What is a defibrillator?” to “If a victim comes round, how long should I leave the pads on?”.

defib stat

Fast action is vital in cases of SCA. The more time that passes before defibrillation, the lower the chance of survival.

Public AEDs in businesses give quick and easy access to those in need. SDAs can happen anywhere; there’s no business exempt from needing one.

Restart a Heart Day is all about proactivity and preparing people to help in an emergency situation. Go a step beyond awareness and prepare your business for any eventuality. Check out our First Aid Training and competitive range of AEDs today.

Back