Be CPR-ready to help cardiac arrest victims

What is bystander CPR?

Bystander CPR means that the person who is beside someone who has had a cardiac arrest pushes hard and fast on their chest until help arrives from the ambulance service.

If you don’t do CPR then the chances of that person surviving drop by 10 per cent with every minute that passes. What are the key steps of doing CPR?

1. If someone collapses and is not breathing, first call 999 and then shout for help.

2. Clasp your hands together, lock your fingers, knuckles up, lock your elbows and keep your arms straight.

3. Begin hands only CPR, pushing down hard to the beat of Proclaimers song ‘500 miles’ on the centre of the person’s chest. 4. Keep going until ambulance arrives. 5. Remember, don’t delay in starting CPR. Any CPR is better than no CPR What if I am still not sure if CPR is needed?

When you call 999, the emergency call handler will ask you some questions and advise you if CPR is needed and talk you through what needs to be done. Will CPR alone bring the person back to life?

Unfortunately not, that only happens in the movies. CPR is about keeping blood flowing round the body as a result of pushing down on the centre of the chest.This is all about buying time until the ambulance crew arrive to takeover.

If you do CPR then you can at least double the chances of someone surviving. Will I make thing worse if my CPR is not perfect?

No. The person is already very unwell and needs CPR. Any CPR is better than no CPR. Do you need to do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation?

Pressing on the person’s chest and not stopping is the priority until the ambulance crew arrives or until there is a defibrillator available.

Breathing into someones mouth is difficult and takes time. The emergency call handler will tell you how and where to press on their chest and count to keep the blood moving. What is Save a Life for Scotland?

Save a Life for Scotland launched in October 2015 and is a collaboration of emergency services (Scottish Ambulance Service, Scottish Fire and Rescue Services, Medical Defence Services and Police Scotland), third sector organisations (The British Heart Foundation including Heartstart, Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland, Royal Life Saving Society Scotland, British Red Cross , St John Scotland and Lucky 2 B Here), community groups, local authorities, academics, industry partners and the Scottish Government.

A movement of people who believe the status quo can’t be allowed to continue, and that together we can do what we haven’t been able to do separately.

Our aim is to change the culture of ‘what’s the point they all die’ or ‘I can’t do anything to help’ to ‘I’ll do it’.

Any CPR is better than no CPR. This is all about buying time until the ambulance crew arrive