Local schools are being invited to take part in Restart A Heart Day later this year to give life-saving CPR training to their students.
Registration opens on Valentine's Day (14th February) for what will be the 10th event, taking place this year on Monday 16th October 2023.
Since the event began in 2014, the Yorkshire Ambulance Service has taught CPR to 202,529 students during 881 school visits, thanks to staff and volunteers who have given 33,613 hours.
Jason Carlyon, Community Engagement Manager, said: “To think we are preparing for our 10th annual Restart a Heart Day is incredible. The event has undoubtedly become a firm favourite with our staff and volunteers who are so generous with their time which has enabled more than 202,000 young people to receive vital CPR training.
“There have been many highlights over the years from seeing footballer Fabrice Muamba reunited with one of his life-savers in our first year at Fulford School in York to watching Paralympian Hannah Cockcroft, who suffered two cardiac arrests when she was born, learning CPR with us at a school in Halifax.
“Ultimately, it’s priceless hearing the many stories of people whose lives have been saved thanks to bystander CPR, and particularly rewarding to learn about those we have taught on Restart a Heart Day who have used their skills to give someone a fighting chance of survival.”
The campaign launch comes as research confirms how the training has a positive impact on people’s confidence and competence to step in and save the life of someone in cardiac arrest.
Results of a study among students who took part in last year’s training revealed that the life-saving lesson led to:
- 83.64% being able to identify someone in cardiac arrest (42.25% increase from pre to post training)
- 86.82% being confident to perform chest compressions (43.97% increase from pre to post training)
Over 30,000 people sufferer a cardiac arrest outside of hospital in the UK every year. If it happens in front of a bystander who starts CPR immediately before the arrival of the ambulance, the patient’s chances of survival double.
Currently in the UK, less than one in ten (8.6%) people survive a cardiac arrest. If we achieved the same survival rates of countries such as Norway (25%), where CPR is taught in schools, an additional 100 lives could be saved each week - the equivalent of approximately 5,000 every year.
Supported by the Yorkshire Ambulance Service Charity, the event is delivered in partnership with the Resuscitation Council (UK), British Heart Foundation (BHF) and St John Ambulance.
Secondary schools can register for Restart a Heart Day 2023 by completing an online form before the closing date on Friday 21st April. You can access the form at https://survey.yas.nhs.uk/s/Restart-a-Heart-Day-SchoolRegistration-2023/
For more information visit the Restart a Heart website at restartaheart.yas.nhs.uk/
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