More people in Guernsey now know life-saving skills thanks to St John Ambulance Guernsey & the Cardiac Action Group.

The two charities came together during Restart A Heart Week to teach CPR and demonstrate how to use an AED (Defibrillator).

Shoppers and office workers in St Peter Port had the opportunity to drop-in to an open event at the Market Square on Restart A Heart Day) while scores of other islanders attended hour-long sessions held at seven community centres around the island.

Paramedics worked alongside from St John and the Cardiac Action Group to provide the practical demonstrations, as well as answering first aid questions.

Chief Ambulance Officer, Mark Mapp said: “Doing CPR and using an AED are simple but life-saving skills which we believe everyone in the community should learn. The St John Emergency Ambulance Service responds to an average of six cardiac arrests each month. A patient’s chances of surviving a cardiac arrest improve if there is early recognition, early CPR, early use of an AED and early advanced pre-hospital care from a paramedic.”

Mike Froome from the Cardiac Action Group said it was vitally islanders to know CPR and how to use the publicly accessible AEDs. “Currently, European statistics show only one in 10 people will survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest,” he said.

Restart A Heart Day is a worldwide charitable event which takes place on 16th October every year. An alliance of ambulance services, first aid providers, medical charities and cardiac health organisations from all over the world will be working together to increase public awareness of cardiac arrests and increase the number of people trained in life saving CPR.

St John Ambulance Guernsey would like to thank the volunteers who gave up their free time to help deliver these sessions, as well asl Bailiwick Estates Limited and the St Peter Port Constables for supporting this event and giving permission for it to be held in the Market Square.

Posted: October 24, 2019