Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex creates army of potential life-savers

Throughout the day specialist critical care doctors and paramedics from KSS will host fun and interactive sessions, tailored to different age groups, that anyone with internet access can take part in to learn the skills that could one day help them to save a life:

Key Stage 2 Sessions (7 to 11 years)

9:30am, 11am and 1.30pm

Adult and secondary school sessions (11 years and over)

12pm and 2.15pm

Child and Parent (or guardian/carer) joint sessions

4pm, 5pm and 6pm

34","classid":1073872969,"properties":[469775450,"normaltextrun",201340122,"1",134233614,"true",469778129,"normaltextrun",335572020,"1",469778324,"default paragraph font"]">Across the South East, an average of 22 people each day suffer a cardiac arrest out of a hospital. Sadly, the overall survival rate last year for this group of people was around 11%, and survival falls by up to10% for every minute a patient doesn’t receive CPR or defibrillation.

But bystander CPR can make a critical difference.

K35","classid":1073872969,"properties":[469775450,"eop",201340122,"1",134233614,"true",469778129,"eop",335572020,"1",469778324,"default paragraph font"]">SS Paramedic Ben Paul, who is leading on the initiative, said: “Everyone has the potential to save a life with CPR, they just need to know how. We’re incredibly excited that so many people will be joining our Restart A Heart with KSS Online CPR Awareness Sessions and we couldn’t be more passionate about equipping as many people as possible across our communities with the confidence and skills that could help them save a life.” 

KSS volunteer Steve Harley saved his father Colin’s life in 2021 by giving him CPR within minutes of his cardiac arrest, keeping him alive until a paramedic and then KSS arrived to provide life-saving care. Steve has been closely involved in the preparations for Restart a Heart Day.

Steve recalled: “I’ve had many different lots of first aid training and CPR is one of those things that you hope you’ll never have to use. Luckily, I knew what to do when my father had a cardiac arrest.

“These sessions from KSS are a great way of providing youngsters and their parents with the skills that could help them save a life.”

33","classid":1073872969,"properties":[469775450,"x_msonormal",201340122,"2",134233614,"true",469778129,"xmsonormal",335572020,"1",201342448,"3",469777841,"calibri",469777842,"calibri",469777843,"ｍｓ 明朝",469777844,"calibri",469769226,"calibri,ｍｓ 明朝",335559705,"2057",335559740,"259",201341983,"0",335559739,"0",469778324,"normal"]">James Cant, CEO at Resuscitation Council UK, said: “We’re on a mission to increase out of hospital cardiac arrest survival rates, and that’s why we spearheaded the Restart A Heart campaign. It’s so encouraging to see KSS are geared up to provide lifesaving skills to nearly 10,000 people in the community, which will ultimately help save lives.”

Schools, businesses, groups and individuals, who want to sign up for the sessions can do so quickly and easily at aakss.org.uk/restart.