Restart a Heart Day is an annual health event observed on 16 October to raise awareness about cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillator use in the event of cardiac arrest. BAPS Charities in the UK partnered with St John Ambulance in support of this important initiative to deliver two online CPR skills sessions on 21 and 28 October 2020. The latter session included translation into Gujarati as well as child-friendly learning.
In the UK, there are over 30,000 cardiac arrests a year outside of hospitals. Around 80% of all cardiac arrests occur in the home. As people are spending more time at home during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, being equipped with the skills, ability and confidence to help a victim of cardiac arrest is even more valuable. Administering CPR to someone whose heart has stopped beating can drastically improve their chances of survival. In an emergency, every second counts.
BAPS Charities helped to address this need through these two sessions, which were applicable to all ages and abilities. The online seminars continued to build on previous skills sessions, including collaboration with the London Ambulance Service (LAS) to provide Emergency Life Support Training to volunteers.
The two online sessions proved to have a far greater reach with 1,752 participants registered for the training.
All registrants were also invited to two shorter follow-up sessions with practical advice and an opportunity to practice CPR techniques. 50 people attended these tailored sessions and benefited from an opportunity to ask questions about CPR and defibrillators to a panel of qualified trainers.
A wider CPR training provision has the potential to save thousands of lives each year. The online sessions demonstrated the correct method of performing effective CPR whilst taking the necessary safety precautions during the pandemic to minimise any risk to the deliverer. The aim was to instil confidence and empower a positive reaction in such a situation.
Divyang Patel, who participated in the training, said, “It is so important to be aware of and learn this life-saving skill. I made sure my children watched the session. The teacher was very clear and encouraging which made it an enjoyable and educational experience for the whole family.”
To learn more about CPR, click here for online resources from the Resuscitation Council UK.
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