Heart Safe Zone

Help us make Sweden heart safer!​

Every year, thousands of Swedes suffer from sudden cardiac arrest, but only 550 survive. Almost four out of ten of those affected are of working age. With more defibrillators and more people who know CPR, many lives can be saved. Now we at First Aid Sweden help you become a Heart Safe zone according to the new Swedish standard.

Rapid intervention with cardiopulmonary resuscitation in combination with a defibrillator is the only way to save a person suffering from cardiac arrest. Sweden has now succeeded as the first country in Europe in creating a Swedish standard regarding Heart Safe Zone - Use of defibrillators in public and other environments outside of healthcare. It is a very positive development. The goal is to save more lives.

- There are many of us who work actively to get more defibrillators in society and spread the knowledge about CPR, as we know today that it is the only chance for greater survival in the event of a cardiac arrest. As the demand for defibrillators increases, there is a great need for a common standard, says Kristina Sparreljung, secretary general of the Heart-Lung Foundation.

Companies and workplaces around the country are encouraged to follow the Swedish standard Heart Safe Zone. Read more about the standard here: http://www.sis.se/standard/std-8015733

For more information contact:

- Sarah Ridha, Training Manager, First Aid Sweden AB, tel. 08-121 464 90, sarah@firstaid.se

- Anna Ålenius Mathson, press contact, Hjärt-Lungfonden, phone 0708-544230, anna.alenius@hjart-lungfonden.se

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This is how you save lives with a defibrillator

1. Start the defibrillator and follow its instructions
2. Remove the clothing from the person's chest
3. Attach the electrodes to the chest as shown in the pictures
4. If defibrillation is recommended: do not touch the person and press the button*
5. Continue CPR until you are relieved or the person shows clear signs of life

* In this example, the defibrillator is semi-automatic and gives continuous instructions. By analyzing the condition of the heart, it delivers electric shocks if it feels it is needed.

Facts about Heart Safe Zone

Cardiac safe zone is the zone that exists inside and outside the company/organization that trains in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and installs defibrillators. The "Heart safe zone" label is registered with PRV and is followed by certain guidelines and requirements:

• there are routines and preparedness to be able to handle a cardiac arrest and call 112
• there is competence in cardiopulmonary resuscitation so that help can be deployed immediately
• all staff know where the defibrillator is and can handle it
• treatment with a defibrillator can take place within three minutes
• the defibrillator is registered in the national defibrillator register