Thousands of school pupils learn to save a life
More than 4000 secondary school students across the East Midlands have been taught how to save a life as part of National Restart a Heart Day.
Our community first responders (CFRs) visited 35 different schools across Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire to teach pupils how to perform CPR.
More than 4,000 pupils have been trained in how to perform CPR on someone in cardiac arrest and how to use a defibrillator. In a life-threatening emergency seconds count and chest compressions keep oxygen flowing around the patient’s body increasing their chance of survival.
National Restart a Heart Day has been organised through the joint effort of the Resuscitation Council (UK) and the British Heart Foundation, who have donated free training kits to the schools taking part.
Mick Barnett-Connolly, Head of Community Response at EMAS said: “If someone suffers a cardiac arrest their chances of survival increases considerably if it happens in front of someone who starts CPR immediately.
“We are growing the network of lifesavers in the East Midlands by equipping these students with skills they will remember for life.”
Oscar, 12, from Wilsthorpe Community School in Long Eaton, took part in the CPR training today and said he really enjoyed it.
He said: "I feel pretty confident that I would be able to do CPR if someone needed it. I'm sure if I just kept calm I would be able to do it."
You can learn how to restart a heart by going on a Heartstart Training Course
