The City Council will hold an event on the 13th to publicise Fuenlabrada’s experience as a ‘Heart-Safe City’  

Since last September, the City Council, through the Department of Human Resources and Internal Affairs, has been running a wide-ranging programme of awareness-raising and training activities aimed at all residents, with the aim of familiarising them with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) techniques and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs). 

These activities centre on the commemoration of World Cardiac Arrest Awareness Day (16 October) and will culminate in an event to be held on the 13th at 10.00 am at the CIFE.

Over the past few weeks, specialist instructors have been visiting different neighbourhoods across the town to run street-level information and training sessions on the basics of resuscitation (CPR) and the use of defibrillators. These courses have also been delivered to local associations and organisations. 

Hundreds of Fuenlabrada residents are taking part in these workshops, which can prove crucial during the first few minutes of a cardiac emergency. 
Recognising a cardiac arrest, activating the chain of survival, and initiating basic resuscitation manoeuvres can be crucial in saving a life whilst waiting for the emergency services to arrive. 

Fuenlabrada: A Heart-Safe City 

The programme culminates with the conference ‘Fuenlabrada Actúa III: A Cardioprotected and Inclusive City’, to be held on Tuesday the 13th at the CIFE (10.00).

The aim is to present Fuenlabrada’s experience as a ‘Heart-Safe City’, focusing on three aspects: the availability of defibrillators in municipal facilities, ongoing training in basic life support, and public awareness-raising to ensure that an increasing number of people know how to respond to this type of emergency. 

The event will cover the municipal network of defibrillators and the initiatives promoted by the City Council; there will be a round-table discussion with municipal officials and healthcare staff, including Dr Óscar Luis Celada, head of medical services for the Spanish national football team. Participants in the training sessions will share their experiences, and certificates of recognition will be awarded to those who have taken part.   

The Councillor for Human Resources and Internal Affairs at the City Council explained that “Fuenlabrada combines an extensive network of public-access defibrillators with a firm commitment to raising awareness and providing free training, both for the general public and for municipal staff, including people with disabilities, so that they can recognise a cardiac arrest and initiate basic resuscitation procedures”.