South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
(SECAmb) gearing up to teach life-saving CPR skills to thousands of
people next month as part of this year’s Restart-a-Heart awareness
campaign.

The Trust was involved in the Europe-wide initiative for their
first time last year when staff, volunteers and fellow clinicians
trained close to 8,500 children and some adults in CPR during a
week in October.

The Trust has reached capacity for this year with numbers
expected to be higher than 2016. Some 15,000 young people at
schools, colleges, universities and other community groups are
signed up to be trained throughout the week of 10 October ahead of
Restart-a-Heart day itself on 16 October.

A number of free open events in are also taking place throughout
the week. Kent Fire and Rescue Service will be at the Safer Home
Experience at Bluewater Shopping Centre on 11, 12, 13 and 16
October.

Meanwhile, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and Uckfield
Community First Responders will be holding four public training
sessions at Uckfield fire station on Tuesday 10 October 7.30-9pm,
Wednesday 11 October 4-6pm, and Saturday 14 October at 8.30-10.30am
and 10.30am-12.30pm.

And Hoo Peninsula Community First Responders in Kent have
organised a marathon 8-hour open day at High Halstow Recreation
Hall on Tuesday 10 October from 12-8pm.

More than 30,000 people suffer cardiac arrests outside of
hospital in the UK every year. If this happens in front of a
bystander, who starts CPR immediately before the arrival of an
ambulance crew, the patient’s chances of survival are significantly
improved.

Today, if someone suffers a cardiac arrest out of hospital in
the UK, they sadly have less than a one in ten chance of
surviving.

SECAmb’s Investing in Volunteers Lead Emma Ray said: “We’re
really looking forward to this year’s Restart-a-Heart and we’re
delighted with the interest which should see us train some 7,000
more people than last year. We’re delighted to be visiting so many
schools, colleges and community groups and I’d urge people to
attend one of the open days if possible. Learning CPR is a skill
which can stay with someone for life. I’d like to thank all our
trainers and volunteers who have made the week possible.”

To find out more about how CPR and how to save a life visit
https://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-health/how-to-save-a-life