College students learn how to restart a heart

Our 14-16 Direct Entry students received life-saving CPR skills thanks to Resuscitation Council UK’s Restart a Heart Day.

The College’s 14-16 department was one of the 170 schools and educational providers across Yorkshire to receive free CPR training from Yorkshire Ambulance Service for the 10th anniversary.

“Allowing our students to be part of this global initiative will give our students the skills and information they need to help save a life.”

They welcomed Craig Huxley and Clair Victory from South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue and Rebecca Hewitt from Yorkshire Ambulance Service to host the event, raising awareness about cardiac arrest and teaching 70 students how to give CPR in an emergency.

With more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happening every year and less than one in 10 people surviving, these early CPR skills that the students have learned can more than double the chances of survival in some cases.

Resuscitation Council UK’s annual event is organised in partnership with Yorkshire Ambulance Service, British Heart Foundation, St John Ambulance and British Red Cross, and they have collectively taught 202,529 youngsters over the past nine years.

Dafydd Cherry, Headteacher at the 14-16 Direct Entry and Skills Academy, said: “’Allowing our students to be part of this global initiative will give our students the skills and information they need to help save a life.

“I think this is an initiative that should run across all educational settings and become normal practice alongside subjects such as compulsory PE and PHSE lessons. Giving all young people this opportunity can only lead to a positive outcome and help save a life.”

Craig Huxley, Watch Manager at the Joint Community Safety Department for South Yorkshire Police and South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, added: “CPR is an extremely valuable skill – the more people with this ability in our society the better equipped we are to help anyone suffering.

“The students were enthusiastic about learning what to do in an emergency and how to ensure CPR is done correctly; they all now know this life-saving skill that they can pass on to peers, family and friends.”