Restart a Heart Day – a day each year when across the globe we raise awareness of CPR and how important it is for us all to know how we can save a life using just our hands.

There’s a Hard and Fast Rule when it comes to performing CPR

The good news is that performing CPR is relatively simple – you just have to remember the two key steps:

1. Call 112 or 999
2. Push hard and fast in the centre of the chest

Every year in Ireland thousands of people die from cardiac arrest. Around 70% of these deaths happen at home, in front of a loved one. Which means that if someone you love suffers a cardiac arrest, you could be their best chance of survival.

Earlier this year we had to cancel our free public CPR training programme Hands for Life, which was kindly supported by Abbott and ESB Networks. We don’t know when we’ll be able to run them again.

As a result, we want to tell as many people as possible how straightforward it is to carry out CPR – the more people who know how to perform CPR, the more likely it is someone will survive if they have a cardiac arrest.

Watch the three short videos below to learn:

1. What happens when you call 112 or 999
2. How to perform CPR
3. How to use an AED

Step 1: Call 112 or 999

Making the emergency call. By dialing 112 or 999 you will get through to the emergency call taker. You should listen to them and follow their instructions.

Step 2: How to perform compressions

CPR is a simple skill and you can double a person’s chances of surviving a cardiac arrest by starting CPR.

Using an AED

Using an AED is very simple you just need to listen to the voice prompts.