Why act straight away?

In France, tens of thousands of cardiac arrests occur outside hospital every year, most often in front of a witness. Survival rates remain low, largely because first aid does not start early enough.

Without CPR, the brain is starved of oxygen and the chances of survival fall very quickly, by around 10% per minute. The witness, whether a colleague, passer-by or relative, is the first link in the chain of survival.

Recognising cardiac arrest

  • The person does not respond when spoken to and when their shoulders are gently shaken.
  • They are not breathing, or breathing abnormally: noisy, slow, irregular gasps.
  • If in doubt, act as if it is a cardiac arrest.

Step 1: call for help

In France, call 15 (SAMU emergency medical service), 18 (fire brigade) or 112 (European emergency number). Deaf or hard-of-hearing people can reach 114 by text or app. Put the phone on speaker to keep your hands free, and ask someone to fetch a defibrillator.

Step 2: start chest compressions

  • Lay the victim on their back on a hard surface.
  • Place the heel of one hand in the centre of the chest, the other hand on top, arms straight.
  • Push down 5 to 6 cm at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute, letting the chest come back up each time.
  • Do not stop until the defibrillator or the emergency services arrive; if other people are there, swap roughly every two minutes.

Step 3: use a defibrillator

An automated external defibrillator (AED) is designed to be used by anyone. Switch it on and follow the voice prompts: it shows where to place the pads on the bare chest, analyses the heart rhythm and decides by itself whether a shock is needed. Resume compressions as soon as it tells you to.

To find a defibrillator, mobile apps based on France's national Géo'DAE database show the nearest devices.

Train so you dare to act

The main barrier is the fear of doing it wrong. A French law of 3 July 2020 created the status of citizen rescuer, which protects people who give first aid. Even a short practice session on a manikin is enough to overcome this fear: that is the aim of the 3-hour introductory first aid course and SST training.