Premier League footballers, world famous ice hockey teams, and volunteers from across the emergency services are helping to teach more than 18,000 young people how to save a life as part of World Restart A Heart Day.
Today, Wednesday, 16 October, East Midlands Ambulance Service are providing free CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) training in 58 schools and five iconic venues across the East Midlands.
Throughout the day, pupils are being trained by volunteers in how to perform CPR on someone in cardiac arrest. In a life-threatening emergency seconds count and chest compressions keep oxygen flowing around the patient’s body increasing their chance of survival.
We are doing this with the help of partnership organisations including Derbyshire Fire and Rescue, Derbyshire Police, Northamptonshire Emergency Services Volunteers, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue, HeartWize and LIVES.
This year, we are also being supported by Northampton Town Football Club, Lincoln City Football Club, Grimsby Town Football Club, Leicester City Football Club, Derby County Football Club and Nottingham Panthers Ice Hockey team.
The sports clubs will be taking part in events across the region to help educate fans young and old on the importance of CPR and the difference it can make.
This vast team of people will be joining other ambulance services and organisations from across the UK and worldwide to learn this vital skill.
World Restart a Heart Day has been organised through the joint effort of leading UK charities and emergency services, including the Resuscitation Council (UK) and the British Heart Foundation, which is donating free training kits to the schools taking part.
Mick Barnett-Connolly, Head of Community Response and Collaboration at EMAS said: “If someone suffers a cardiac arrest their chances of survival increase considerably if it happens in front of someone who starts CPR immediately.
“This year is a real partnership effort across the East Midlands and together we are growing the network of lifesavers by equipping these students with skills they will remember for life.”