Improving community CPR training
Empowering bystanders
Bystander CPR is crucial for improving survival rates from cardiac arrests occurring outside of hospitals. Training more people is critical - but it is also important for bystanders to execute high-quality CPR and learn how to collaborate efficiently with emergency dispatchers.
Together with our partners, we develop training solutions and programs to address these needs.
the challenge
Training 10X more people in CPR
Accurate data on the number of new CPR trainees added globally each year is scarce, as many figures include individuals refreshing their skills rather than first-time trainees. However, it's estimated that around 10 million people receive CPR training annually in high-income countries.
To achieve our shared goal of saving 100,000 more lives from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year, we need a significant increase in this number. Current estimates suggest that training approximately 100 million people annually is necessary to ensure a broad, well-prepared pool of individuals ready to respond effectively in emergencies. This substantial increase is essential for enhancing global emergency response capabilities and saving more lives.
NATIONS OF LIFESAVERS
School CPR programs
An effective strategy to reach a large part of the population with CPR and first aid training is to train school children. To help enable high adoption and scale in schools, we have worked with numerous partners over the years to design affordable and scalable self-instruction CPR programs.
The CPR in schools program have been implemented in more than 40 countries. In the UK, the British Heart Foundation's "Nation of Lifesavers" campaign over seven years engaged 7 million individuals, about 10% of the UK's population, and reached 90% of primary schools, showcasing the significant community benefits of school-based training initiatives.
RevivR
Expanding reach with digital CPR training
In collaboration with our long-standing partner, the British Heart Foundation, we have developed RevivR – an innovative online and interactive CPR training program designed for both individual and group training. Our goal is to train 3 million people in the UK to become “RevivRs” by 2025.
RevivR aims to complement and extend the reach of traditional CPR programs. As this program expands to new countries in the coming years, we anticipate it will prepare tens of millions of new lifesavers globally, significantly enhancing community readiness and emergency response capabilities.
New quality CPR solutions
Enhancing instructor-led training
With the latest set of Quality CPR products, CPR instructors can improve CPR training quality, classroom efficiency, and learner engagement with gamified learning and data-driven real-time feedback technology.
Even with most instructor-led CPR trainings paused during the pandemic, more than 10 million new bystanders have been trained with these solutions so far.
Kickoff to Lifesaving
Training football fans in CPR at Euro 2024
Following several high-profile cardiac incidents at soccer matches, UEFA and the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) launched the ‘Get Trained Save Lives’ initiative to train as many football fans as possible in CPR.
The initiative culminated in the European Football Championships in Germany during the summer of 2024. In partnership with the ERC and UEFA, we provided a football-themed game using our QCPR technology and Little Anne manikins to deliver a fun and impactful learning experience which included physical practice, a game and quality feedback to improve skills.
Together, we were proud to train over 40,000 individuals and fans left inspired to continue their training. So far, thousands have already enrolled for further training in their home countries.
World Restart a heart day
Raising global awareness
Annually on October 16, citizens globally unite for CPR education, often with 'Kids save lives' as a common theme. In 2022, participation surged to 5.9 million people globally trained in CPR. In 2023, the initiative continued its impact, with millions more trained and awareness campaigns reaching extensive audiences worldwide.
Laerdal collaborates with partners to maximize reach. In 2021, with the World Federation of Anesthesiologists, we facilitated a world record-setting using our digital training platform, Anniewhere.
Imran's story
Royal Mail employee Imran Badin saved a colleague's life after a cardiac arrest. Thanks to recent CPR training, he quickly administered CPR and used a defibrillator until paramedics arrived. Months later, they reunited by chance, a moment made possible by Imran's swift actions.
Other partner initiatives
Here are additional partner initiatives we work on to help improve survival in the community:
Mobilizing the first resuscitation team
Even trained individuals can find real-life cardiac arrests stressful, but prompt emergency calls and skilled dispatchers can coach rescuers, improving CPR quality and doubling bystander CPR rates.
Spreading best EMS practice
Survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is very dependent on where you live. The Global Resuscitation Alliance seeks to develop and spread best practices to remedy this disparity.
Strengthening emergency care systems
There is an urgent need for stronger emergency care in low- and middle-income countries.