Thursday 12th February 2015 – 10.30am – Suzie Wheaton.
To ensure there is no heartbreak this Valentine’s Day, West Midlands Ambulance Service is encouraging everyone to learn how to ‘Mend a Broken Heart’.
It is estimated that approximately 30,000 people each year have cardiac arrest outside of hospital, with almost 4,000 of those taking place in our Region.
The quicker a person in cardiac arrest receives CPR and defibrillation (if possible), not only improves their chances of survival but it can also help to improve the chances of them recovering fully and reduces the time to do so.
For every minute a patient is in cardiac arrest, their chance of survival decreases by 10 percent. So, would you know what to do if a loved one suddenly became critically ill?
Automated external defibrillator (AEDs) come in many different makes, colours and sizes but essentially they all do the same thing. These machines are extremely easy to use – you can’t harm a person by using a defibrillator, meaning anyone can provide emergency care to someone in cardiac arrest quickly and effectively prior to the arrival of an ambulance.
At present within the area covered by West Midlands Ambulance Service there are over 2,400 defibrillators that the service is aware of. These defibrillators are housed in a whole variety of locations including sports facilities, schools, businesses (large and small), religious sites, tourist attractions and retail outlets to name but a few.
Learning how to do CPR and using a defibrillator is very simple and could literally be a lifesaver this Valentine’s Day!
We would urge everyone to take a first aid course. You never know when you might need to use the skills you learn, whether it is on a friend, loved one or a complete stranger who collapses in the street.
For more information about first aid courses and defibrillator training in you area please visit http://www.wmas.nhs.uk
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