Pupils at 37 North Yorkshire schools to learn CPR on Restart a Heart Day
Ambulance service says bystander CPR nearly doubles survival chances
Pupils at 37 secondary schools in North Yorkshire are set to be taught CPR as part of Restart a Heart Day today (Friday 16th October.)
Across Yorkshire, an army of 800 off-duty staff and volunteers from Yorkshire Ambulance Service will visit 168 secondary schools to train 35,000 students.
The training event is supported by Yorkshire Ambulance Service Charity.
Survival figures
A cardiac arrest patient in Yorkshire is nearly twice as likely to survive if a bystander steps in to perform CPR, according to the latest figures from Yorkshire Ambulance Service.
Last year, bystanders stepped in at 1,972 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests across the region.
Their actions helped restart 643 hearts at the scene, leading to 132 long-term survivors (6.7 per cent).
By contrast, there were 892 cardiac arrests where no bystander CPR was provided.
In those cases, 33 people (3.7 per cent) survived past 30 days after being discharged from hospital.
Jason Carlyon, Community Engagement Manager at Yorkshire Ambulance Service, said: "The numbers speak for themselves; early CPR makes a monumental difference to whether someone survives a cardiac arrest. Having a bystander step up nearly doubles a patient's chances of coming home from hospital."
Survivor backs the campaign
The event is being backed by cardiac arrest survivors and the people who stepped up to save their lives.
Nick Parkes, a 65-year-old swimmer from Stokesley, survived a cardiac arrest in 2023.
He has since swum 22 miles across Loch Ness.
Nick said: "CPR saves lives. Defibs save lives. I'm only here because someone knew what to do and I am excited to share my story in support of Yorkshire Ambulance Service's Restart a Heart campaign."
'Watch it. Learn it. Pass it On.'
This year's campaign theme is 'Watch it. Learn it. Pass it On.'
It highlights how one person learning CPR can help others to be better prepared in a medical emergency.
Students will be encouraged to pass their new skills on to family and friends.
Members of the public can also join in by watching a 10-minute video and inspiring others to do the same.
Mr Carlyon said: "By visiting 168 schools to mark Restart a Heart Day, our 800 volunteers can equip a new generation with the skills and confidence to act in an emergency. We want these 35,000 students to go home, spark conversations with their families and neighbours, and help us turn every community into a place where everyone knows what to do in the event of a cardiac arrest."