For the second year running, Orchard School Year 7 pupils have learnt how to perform CPR as part of the “Restart a Heart Day” campaign. Restart a Heart Day is a Europe-wide initiative developed by the European Resuscitation Council. It was launched in 2013 to teach members of the public how to help restart the heart of someone who has suffered a cardiac arrest.
The South West Ambulance Service spent the whole day at Orchard School and over 200 Year 7 students have learnt life-saving CPR. Pupils watched an interactive DVD and learnt all the skills required to undertake CPR. The Y7 Orchard pupils learnt about how to keep a healthy heart – through sport, exercise and diet. They also learnt what a cardiac arrest is, and how to recognise the signs.
“It was such good fun – I learnt loads and I now feel really confident about what to do if I see somebody in need of help,” said one Year 7 Orchard student. “The Call-Push-Rescue phrase will really stick with me.”
Every year, around 350,000 Europeans suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). OHCA can occur anywhere, for example in the street, at work, or while exercising or doing other strenuous activity. Unfortunately, the vast majority happen at home, where family members are the only witnesses and the only ones with the chance to save their loved ones.
If you’d like to find out more, or have CPR training at your school or place of work, you can visit www.resus.org.uk