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As you may know, SADS UK have been urging Government to legislate for defibrillators in schools.  In 2010 the SADS UK Big Shock Campaign was set up and reached millions of people via newspapers, radio and TV.  After years of petitioning, writing letters and speaking with MPs, Anne Jolly, founder of SADS UK, recently met with Department for Education policy managers in Parliament.  They are collating information to advise the Secretary of State with regard to the need for defibrillators in schools.   SADS UK has provided evidence which will be put forward to the Secretary of State, including cardiac arrests in schools where sadly the pupil died, and more positive stories where a defibrillator was readily available and the pupil survived.  If you have a powerful story along either of these lines would you please provide this information to SADS UK, alternatively if SADS UK or Hand on Heart Charity has helped equip your school with a life-saving defibrillator it would also be good to be able to provide these quotes to the policy makers.

To keep the momentum going SADS UK has set up two new Government e-petitions, as its imperative that the Secretary of State understands the strength of feeling from parents and the community as a whole.

Please share the above information and Government e-petition links below with your facebook friends and those on twitter.  With your help more lives can be saved.

Defibrillators for cardiac arrest in schools
Government should legislate to make defibrillators compulsory in all schools.
All schools should have sufficient defibrillators in prominent positions such that any person suffering a cardiac arrest can be reached within 3 minutes from the defibrillator location.
It is believed up to 270 cardiac arrests occur annually in UK schools. When a casualty suffers cardiac arrest, every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces their chance of survival.
Appropriate ratio of personnel trained in CPR and defibrillation should be established according to the population of the school.  A major part of a child’s life is in school and some of the activities they take part in can provoke a cardiac arrest. There is also a high footfall of teachers, staff, parents, etc. all potentially at risk of cardiac arrest.   A defibrillator at a school would be available to help anybody who goes in to cardiac arrest giving them the best chance of survival in vital first minutes.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/61207