Edinburgh rail users and tourists get chance to learn vital lifesaving skills

• St Andrew’s First Aid to deliver free CPR demonstrations at popular locations to mark Restart a Heart Day.

Scotland’s only dedicated first aid charity, St Andrew’s First Aid, is providing Edinburgh locals and tourists with a chance to learn lifesaving CPR skills at open demonstrations held in the heart of the city this month.

To mark ‘Restart a Heart Day’ (16^th October), an initiative led by Resuscitation Council UK to increase the number of people who survive out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, St Andrew’s First Aid will be delivering free public demonstrations across three city centre locations.    

Passers-by will be invited to get involved with CPR demonstrations, as well as learning how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

They will also be encouraged to practice what they have learned, gaining insightful feedback from St Andrew’s First Aid Community Engagement Trainers and Volunteers, to ensure they are prepared to step in and help, if they witness someone having a cardiac arrest. 

Jim Dorman, Director of Operations and Community Engagement at St Andrew’s First Aid said: “We usually mark Restart a Heart with one day – but this year we decided it needs to be noticed – so we’re carrying out a roadshow across the full month of October, with free demonstrations taking place up and down the country.

“The importance of knowing how to administer CPR correctly can really be the difference between life and death for those receiving it. It’s our ambition to have as many people as possible learning these vital skills that could ultimately save a life.”

St Andrew’s First Aid Community Engagement Trainers and Volunteers will be in attendance at the following locations:

• Edinburgh Castle: Wednesday 16^th October: 11am-4pm
• Edinburgh Haymarket Train Station: Thursday 17^th October – 11am-2pm
• Edinburgh Waverly Station: Saturday 19^th October – 11am-4pm

Between April 2022 and May 2023, there were 3,161 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Scotland*. Charities such as St Andrew’s First Aid are making it their mission to create a nation of lifesavers, by providing easy to access and free training to the public.

To find out more about St Andrew’s First Aid please visit: www.firstaid.org.uk

* https://www.scottishambulance.com/media/10dn0df0/ohca-report-2022-23.pdf