British Heart Foundation petition to teach lifesaving skills in schools

After the shock of Fabrice Muamba collapsing on the pitch last month, the British Heart Foundation have teamed up with The Sun to campaign for young people to be taught Emergency Life Support (ELS) after CPR saved the footballers life.

The campaign, which currently has over 100,000 signatures on their petition, aims to bring ELS training as a compulsory part of the national curriculum with the BHF stating “ having Emergency Life Support (ELS) skills should be as important as learning to read and write”.

This campaign has been a massive hit with the public with hundreds emailing local politicians, pressuring decision-makers and even MP’s Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg have visited the Headstart schools.

By running compulsory classes, young people will be equipped with the skills to help other in life threatening conditions ranging from heart attacks, heavy bleeding, cardiac arrest or unconsciousness. The BHF hope that individuals will therefore be able to step in when emergency services aren’t available immediately. They state that by having this knowledge this might “double a casualty’s chances of survival, from a cardiac arrest”.