RESIDENTS in Bromsgrove can learn vital life-saving skills as part of Restart a Heart Day, thanks to St John Ambulance volunteers.
The session in the town will take place at the St John Ambulance HQ, Barnsley Hall Drive, from 7pm to 9pm next Thursday, October 17.
Participants can learn how to help someone who has gone into cardiac arrest, via practical information on how to deliver cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and find out about delivering shocks to the heart with a defibrillator.
The health charity’s regional head of volunteering Steph Pavie said volunteers across the West Midlands are pleased to be participating in this year’s event to help make local communities more resilient with regard to cardiac arrest emergencies.
“It is vital that as many people as possible learn how to deliver CPR and use a defibrillator because of the unpredictable nature of cardiac arrests.”
Currently, fewer than one in ten people in the UK survives a cardiac arrest out of hospital and St John Ambulance and its Restart a Heart partners want to change that.
Chances of survival double when someone gives immediate CPR and significantly increase further when a defibrillator is used.
Steph added: “By ensuring more people have these skills and are not afraid to use them if they find someone who has collapsed and is not breathing, we can hopefully increase the number of people ready to step forward and intervene.
“In the space of only an hour you can pick up these skills from us for free, so please make it a priority to find a Restart a Heart demo near to you and come along.”
Visit www.sja.org.uk/restartaheart for more information, the free highly-popular St John Ambulance app for smartphones, along with demonstration videos and free advice.
