Project Heart 2016 by SHF trained and certified close to 1000 sport volunteers from Team Nila

Project Heart 2016 by Singapore Heart Foundation trained and certified close to 1,000 sport volunteers from Team Nila at its CPR and AED training session

As part of the annual Project Heart initiative by Singapore Heart Foundation, close to 1,000 volunteers from Sport Singapore’s Team Nila came together today for its CPR and AED certification session, and an additional 50 Team Nila volunteers will also complete their Instructor Course to become full-fledged CPR and AED instructors.

Every year, nearly 1,900 people in Singapore suffer from cardiac arrest and the overall survival rate is only around 3%.[1]Furthermore, every minute of delay in resuscitation will lower the victim’s chance of survival by 7% to 10%. SHF’s annual Project Heart seeks to improve the out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rate by raising awareness, educating and equipping more Singaporeans with life-saving skills.

Led by 120 certified CPR and AED instructors from SHF, the volunteers learnt and role-played in a conducive environment, which included lectures and hands-on simulation. Volunteers were also coached and guided systematically in the medical protocol that included determining unresponsiveness, activating emergency medical services as well as performing CPR and use of the AED.

Madam Michele Chia Mitin, who is an active volunteer with Team Nila shared, “This is an eye-opening experience. The practical and in-person training allowed me to have hands-on experience on what to do, if there is a need to carry out CPR & AED on someone in an emergency. The instructor was also very thorough and informative with techniques and instructions. Thanks to Team Nila and the Singapore Heart Foundation, I now believe that I can save lives.”

Guest of Honour Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Mr Baey Yam Keng joined in the CPR and AED demonstration, and participated in an interactive case scenario training. He also gamely took part in the one minute CPR Challenge, which tests one’s ability to effectively perform the optimal number of chest compressions.

Mr Vernon Kang, Chief Executive Officer of SHF said, “Sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at anytime and anywhere. Project Heart aims to generate greater awareness on the need to be CPR and AED trained, and to equip individuals with the skill and confidence to attend to cardiac emergencies swiftly. We are glad to partner Team Nila on this year’s Project Heart to equip the sport volunteers with life-saving skills to handle cardiac emergencies at, and outside of sporting events.”

Team Nila volunteers equipped with CPR & AED skills will not only improve their contribution at sports events, but also become an asset to the community and their families. Collaborations like these aim to build the capabilities of the volunteers and enhance the volunteer experience. Mr Lai Chin Kwang, Chief of ActiveSG said, “Learning new skills like CPR & AED can save lives. We are happy to partner Singapore Heart Foundation in our effort to train our volunteers, allowing them to be better equipped to assist someone in need. We are encouraged by the response from our volunteers and will continue to create more opportunities for them to learn and benefit.”

myResponder Mobile Application

Individuals certified in CPR and AED are encouraged to download the myResponder mobile application, and register themselves as an active responder to cardiac arrest cases.

In the event a cardiac arrest victim is reported, Singapore Civil Defence Force’s 995 Ops Centre will send an alert to volunteers located within 400 metres of the incident. Volunteers may choose to respond to the incident and offer assistance before an ambulance arrives. The myResponder mobile application also highlights available AEDs nearby.