Saving Lives Together

A cardiac arrest can happen without warning. If someone is in cardiac arrest they may have collapsed suddenly and:

• Will be unconscious
• Will not be breathing normally (either making gasping noises or not breathing at all).

Without immediate lifesaving treatment, a person will die. If you believe a person is experiencing cardiac arrest phone 999 (using speaker phone if possible) and immediately start CPR.

Did you know? A cardiac arrest is a medical emergency where the heart stops beating effectively. When this happens, blood stops pumping around the body causing the person to fall unconscious and stop breathing normally. Many cardiac arrests occur because of a heart attack, however, a heart attack is not the same as a cardiac arrest. A heart attack is when one of the coronary arteries becomes blocked and the heart's blood supply is stopped, which could lead to a cardiac arrest.

Plan ahead - keep a note of your address, postcode or What3Words location near a phone to save seconds in an emergency.

In a medical emergency call an ambulance by dialling 999 or 112.

Try to have the following information available when you call us:

1. The location where you are, including the area or postcode.
2. The phone number you are calling from.
3. Exactly what has happened.

As soon as we know where you are, we will start arranging help for you.

It is a good idea to download What3Words. This free app converts your location into a unique three word address which we can use to help find you if you in an emergency.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing or speech-impaired you can contact us by texting from your mobile. This facility is available in any type of emergency and is for people who can't use the standard 999 voice or the RNID's text relay services. To use the text service you must register your mobile phone on the emergencySMS website.

Plan ahead - learning CPR takes just a few minutes and could help the save the life of a friend or loved one.

If you see someone collapsed and not breathing normally, you need to start CPR to keep the patient alive until help arrives.

Our Emergency Medical Dispatchers will help you with this when you call 999.

It takes a few minutes to learn CPR. Follow the links below to access free online content from the British Heart Foundation and the Resuscitation Council (UK) to learn CPR in just 15 minutes.

• British Heart Foundation
• Resuscitation Council (UK)

Plan ahead - discover where the nearest defibrillator is to your home. This could help save crucial time if you need one in an emergency.

An AED, short for Automated External Defibrillator, is a life-saving piece of equipment that can be used on someone suffering from a cardiac arrest.

It gives a jolt of energy to the heart, which can help restore the heart's rhythm, and get it beating normally again. This simple piece of equipment is easy to use and doesn't require training, but it could make the difference between life and death.

Public access defibrillators can be used by anyone. When you switch the device on, it will provide clear instructions telling you what you need to do. A defibrillator will not harm the person suffering a cardiac arrest and will only give them a shock if it is needed. There's no reason to feel nervous about using a defibrillator - just follow its simple instructions and you may be able to save a life.

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Locate your nearest defibrillator

Quick access to a defibrillator can save somebody's life during a cardiac arrest.