Free one-hour sessions to learn vital CPR skills
BEING able to perform CPR is a vital skill, the Cardiac Action Group community resuscitation officer has said.
Free one-hour sessions are available this week for residents wishing to learn life-saving skills.
Today marks international Restart a Heart Day, an event aimed at teaching vital like-saving CPR skills to as many people as possible.
Across the UK, there are more than 30,000 cardiac arrests outside of hospital every year, but the survival rate is minimal.
To help push this message and give the public the tools to help and increase the survival rates, The Cardiac Action Group along with St John, have organised a local initiative to support the international day.
The free one-hour sessions are taking place across the island, offering cardiopulmonary resuscitation [CPR] and automated external defibrillator [AED] training.
During a session at St Stephen’s Community Centre yesterday afternoon, attendees were given in-depth demonstrations on dummies before having a go themselves.
Resuscitation officer Mike Froome was quick to point out performing the procedures is vital, even if the person is unknown to you.
‘Each minute that passes their chances of survival go down by 10%,’ he said.
‘So if an ambulance takes five minutes to get there, the chances of survival are down by half.
‘Since resuscitation was invented in 1960 not a single person has been sued in Europe for performing it on an individual.’
This morning the St John Emergency Ambulance Service will be joined by the Cardiac Action Group and St John Guernsey at a public CPR demonstration near Boots in the High Street, St Peter Port. Demonstrations will take place between 11.45am and 1.15pm.
‘Currently, European statistics show only one in ten people will survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest,’ said Mr Froome.
‘Restart a Heart Day is hoping to help improve those figures with awareness of CPR, Basic Life Support and the use of AEDs.’
n To book a free one-hour session contact info@cag.org.gg or 07781129539.
n Sessions are today at 6pm to 9pm at Cobo Community Centre.
Tomorrow at 7 pm to 8.30pm at St Saviour’s Community Centre. Wednesday at 7 pm to 8.30pm at Vale Douzaine Room. Wednesday at 1.15 to 2.30pm at St Andrew’s Community Centre. Thursday 18 October at 7.30pm to 8.30pm at St Martins Community Centre. Friday 19 October at 6.45 to 9pm at Styx Community Centre, St Peter’s.
