IN seven hours, 545 passengers and staff at Stansted Airport joined Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) for Restart a Heart Day 2025

The session began at 4am today (Thursday, October 16), and the critical care team and charity staff will deliver hands-on training in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and defibrillator use until 10pm.

The event builds on the success of last year, where over 700 people were trained in a 10-hour shift.

Since then, there have been three cardiac arrests at Stansted in which staff immediately used their refreshed CPR skills, helping to save lives.

Adam Carr, critical care paramedic and EHAAT’s CPR smart lead, said: “Restart a Heart Day at Stansted shows just how many people are willing to learn CPR when given the chance.

“To know that, within months of last year’s event, airport staff had already put those skills into action and saved lives is incredibly powerful.

Airports are busy, high-stress environments, and because of security and access challenges, it’s not always possible for emergency services to reach a patient straight away. “That’s why it’s so important that people on the ground – staff and passengers – have the confidence to step in.

“And it doesn’t stop at the airport: everyone trained today will take those skills home with them, creating a ripple effect of life-saving knowledge in communities right across the country, and beyond. Early CPR really can make the difference between life and death.”

Anita Harrison, the airport’s customer operations director, said: “Passenger safety is always our number one priority, and by teaming up with EHAAT to raise awareness of CPR, we’re helping more people feel confident to step in during an emergency. Airports are busy places, and while our customer service teams are trained as first responders, CPR is something anyone can learn. It’s quick, simple, and could one day save a life.”