People of Kirkcaldy are being asked to give 90 minutes of their time to learn a lifesaving skill.
Staff from the University of Dundee’s School of Health Sciences are hosting free CPR training sessions as part of national Restart a Heart day on Wednesday 15 October.
A team of experts will be on hand to provide free tuition on the procedure – or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation – which maintains blood flow and oxygenation when a person’s heart and breathing stop due to cardiac arrest. The sessions, Let’s Talk About…Restarting Hearts, will provide comprehensive training that can dramatically increase the chances of survival in the aftermath of such an event.
Suzanne Bell, Senior Lecturer at the School of Health Sciences, said, “The ability to perform CPR is something that almost anybody can learn.
“Emergencies can happen to anyone, at any time, in any place. It could be a loved one at home or a stranger in the supermarket, but by spending just 90 minutes and learning CPR we can empower people to play their part and save lives that could needlessly be lost.
“It’s a short time to save a life.”
More than 3,000 people across Scotland are treated by ambulance personnel following a cardiac arrest every year, according to the Save a Life for Scotland campaign. However, given the urgent need for CPR in the aftermath of such a medical event, only around 1 in 10 people survive. Starting CPR can double this chance of survival, a skill that almost anybody can learn.
“I can imagine few worse situations to find yourself in than seeing someone requiring CPR and not knowing how to help,” added Dr Kevin Stirling, Lecturer at the School of Health Sciences.
“The principle of Restart a Heart Day is to teach colleagues and members of the public how to deliver high-quality chest compressions. We will also look at how to use a defibrillator, choking, and other factors that anyone can check for in an emergency situation.
“Each session lasts just 90 minutes but following that a person will have the potential to change – and prolong - many lives.”
Let’s Talk About…Restarting Hearts takes place at the University of Dundee School of Health Sciences, Forth Avenue, Kirkcaldy, on Wednesday 15 October. Sessions run from 13:00-14:30 and 17:30-19:00 and are free of charge. Light refreshments will be provided.
Places can be booked in advance via Eventbrite, though people are welcome to attend on the day.