South Western Ambulance Service teaching people in Gloucester to restart a heart
The free event is taking place at Gloucester Quays
The South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) is inviting people in Gloucester to take part in free community events today to learn lifesaving CPR, as part of the annual Restart a Heart initiative.
Led by Resuscitation Council UK, the initiative raises awareness of cardiac arrests and equips people with the confidence and skills to perform CPR and use a defibrillator.
They say by learning these techniques members of the public can play a vital role in improving survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.
Paramedics, emergency care assistants, volunteer community first responders, and colleagues from the Volunteering & Community Services team at SWASFT will deliver free, hands-on training sessions at Gloucester Quays.
Participants will have the chance to watch CPR demonstrations, practise on manikins, and learn how to locate and use a defibrillator in an emergency.
Everyone who completes a 15-minute CPR session will receive a certificate, but even a few minutes spent learning from the team will help towards increasing survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests across the South West.
The events set to take place between 10:00 and 16:00.
Dave Wilmot, Volunteering and Community Services Officer at SWASFT, said: “Every minute matters when someone suffers a cardiac arrest, and knowing what to do can make the difference between life and death.
“A simple act like starting CPR or using a defibrillator can more than double a person’s chances of survival.”