Defibuary

The Trust's annual month-long social media campaign is designed to educate the public about the importance of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation.

In Wales, 80% of cardiac arrests occur in the home and according to the British Heart Foundation, only one in ten people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the UK.

It can happen to anyone, at any age, so knowing what to do can improve the chance of survival.

A vital tool available to almost every community in Wales are public access defibrillators (PADS).

You may recognise these portable life-saving devices sited in public areas.

In cases of cardiac arrest when the heart has stopped pumping blood around the body, a defibrillator will give you step by step instructions on what to do and will only deliver a shock if the person needs it.

Defibrillators are easy to use and are designed to be used by anyone.

You cannot cause any harm to the person.

• Making sure the public access defibrillator in your community is registered on The British Heart Foundation's national defibrillator network database - The Circuit. If a device is not registered, our 999-emergency call takers won’t know if a defibrillator is close by and available for an emergency.
• Watching the Resuscitation Council UK's 'Defib Dani' animation, which will take you through the steps of using a public access defibrillator.
• Learning CPR with RevivR, The British Heart Foundation's free online interactive training course. It only takes 15 minutes.
• Signing up to GoodSAM if you are trained or have a certificate in first aid. The free global smartphone app alerts members of the public, who can provide basic life support to those nearby suffering a cardiac arrest while an ambulance is on route.