Schools across Sussex urged to help teach children how to save a life

This Resuscitation Council, British Heart Foundation, St John Ambulance and British Red Cross are working to help train as many young people as possible to save a life and make every child a lifesaver.

Restart a Heart Day aims to improve knowledge about CPR and give people the confidence to use it.

The campaign is being backed A&E consultant Rob Galloway, who is calling on schools to teach first aid as part of their curriculum.

He said: “CPR is a simple thing that anyone can do. If someone collapses and the show no signs of life then you need to do three things.

“Dial 999, push up and down hard on the centre of the chest at a rate of 100 per minute and if there is an automated external defibrillator, open it up and so as it says.

“The things needed are incredibly simple and kids of all ages can do it.

“I remember vividly a few years ago when I treated a gentlemen who survived a cardiac arrest purely because a school child saw him collapse and did CPR, because he had learnt it at cubs.

School is about giving children life skills. What greater life skill is there than teaching CPR?

“Yet we know the majority of people who collapse do not get CPR till the ambulance arrive and by that time, their chances of survival have started to dramatically fall.

“Schools should start teaching this and even if there is no government mandate, they can still do what is right and give their kids a most valuable life skill.”

The Argus Save a Life campaign is calling on schools, businesses, sports clubs, charities and other organisations across the county to get life-saving defibrillators installed in their communities.

The campaign is backed by South East Coast Ambulance Service and renowned consultant cardiologist Douglas Chamberlain.

Restart a Heart Day UK will be taking place on October 18 in line with European Restart a Heart Day on October 16.

For more details about how to get involved, visit resus.org.uk/events/rsah2016.