23 October 2025
On 16 October 2025, the ambulance team from the Health and Social Care Portfolio returned to St Helena Secondary School to train Year 9 students in CPR and the use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). This event marks our continued commitment to ‘Restart a Heart Day’, a global initiative promoting early intervention in cardiac emergencies.
During the session, students practised chest compressions and learned how to operate an AED under guided supervision. We believe that equipping young people with these skills can genuinely change outcomes in critical moments. Bystander CPR and use of an AED can more than double chances of survival when someone suffers a sudden cardiac arrest.
Restart a Heart Day is part of the regular Year 9 curriculum, ensuring that every cohort acquires confidence and practical ability to respond. We thank Head Teacher Mr Toal and the staff at St Helena Secondary School for their support in organising this year’s session.
Mr Toal commented:
“We’re incredibly grateful to the ambulance team for providing our Year 9 students with such an important and potentially lifesaving learning experience. Developing the confidence and practical skill to perform CPR or use a defibrillator empowers our young people to make a real difference in an emergency.”
The Ambulance Service would like to remind the public of the following AED locations across the island:
| District | Location |
| Half Tree Hollow | Half Tree Hollow Clinic (Outside of the main entrance) |
| St Paul’s | The Pavilion (White Shed) at Francis Plain |
| Levelwood | Silver Hill Shop (Outside) |
| Blue Hill | Blue Hill Community Centre (Outside) |
| Sandy Bay | Bamboo Hedge Shop (Outside) |
| Rupert’s | Sea Rescue Building (Outside the main entrance) |
| Longwood | Royal St Helena Police Post (Outside) |
| Jamestown | Customs Building (Near Immigration Office entrance) |
| Jamestown | Royal St Helena Police Service (Reception) |
If you ever need access, call 999 and the Emergency Control Centre will provide the cabinet code. Even if you’re unsure about performing CPR, the call takers are trained to talk you through each step until help arrives.
We also encourage anyone interested in learning First Aid to contact Michael Gaga-Hale, Emergency Operations Manager on 22500 or for further details, please refer to the recent press release (https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/2025/press-releases/first-aid-training-courses-now-open-for-registration/).
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