I know how to save a life. Do you?
There are 30 new public access defibrillators across campus. Learn how to use them on Wednesday 10th October.
For the most part, university is going to be the best time of your life. But at some point, things won’t quite go to plan.
In second year, my friend had an epileptic fit while we were walking through Hyde Park. Thankfully he was okay, but it was really scary. Knowing how to assess him properly helped me keep a calm head until the ambulance arrived.
If you witnessed your friend collapse on campus, could you check if they were breathing and perform lifesaving CPR to keep them alive until help arrives?
If you answered “no” to that question, you are not alone.
A YouGov poll for the British Heart Foundation found 40% of respondents would not feel comfortable giving CPR to somebody that they found in cardiac arrest — the term for when the heart suddenly stops beating.
Only 22% of those surveyed felt comfortable using a public-access AED — an automated external defibrillator that delivers an electric shock to restart the heart.
One in five adults in the UK will witness someone collapse who needs immediate CPR (British Heart Foundation)
CPR (chest compressions)
CPR replicates the pumping of the heart until an AED can restart the heart.
I know what you are thinking,
“Why not leave CPR to trained ambulance crews and first responders?”
An ambulance can take 8 minutes to arrive at a cardiac arrest. For every minute without CPR, survival decreases by up to 10%. You can do the maths.
Good bystander CPR and early defibrillation are the two biggest factors that affect survival in cardiac arrest (not fancy medical stuff).
In the UK, bystander CPR rates are only 40% and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival is just 8.6%.
In Norway, cardiac arrest survival is over 25%. Why?
Every Norweigan schoolkid is taught CPR. Their bystander CPR rate is over 70%.
The Resuscitation Council (UK) wants everyone who can to learn the lifesaving skills of CPR and AED use.
It’s your turn on Wednesday 10th October…
Your chance to learn lifesaving skills
On Wednesday 10th October, you can learn to perform CPR and use an AED.
The ‘Eight Minutes to Save a Life’ roadshow will be taking place outside LUU from 3–7pm.
So, if someone were to collapse in cardiac arrest tomorrow, would you feel confident to do something about it? If the answer is no…
When? Wednesday 10th October 2018
Where? Outside Leeds University Union
How long? For eight minutes, anytime 3pm - 7pm
Be there if you want to be like this legend:
We would like to express our thanks to the Facilities Directorate, Leeds University Union, the School of Medicine Clinical Skills Education Team & our team of student voliunteers for supporting this event.
