The Health and Consumption Area of the Bilbao City Council has held a practical demonstration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) techniques on the occasion of World Cardiopulmonary Arrest Day. The aim is to provide citizens with the basic knowledge needed to respond to an emergency.
Deputy Mayor Nora Abete and Councilor for Health and Consumption Álvaro Pérez attended the event, held at the Tinglados of El Arenal. Professionals from the Health Promotion team explained the main CPR techniques and the use of semi-automatic external defibrillators.
The session emphasized the importance of immediate intervention by any bystander while emergency services are on their way. CPR maneuvers performed in the first few minutes can double or even triple survival chances. Acting before medical teams arrive can increase survival rates by up to 70%, making a rapid response crucial.
The Health and Consumption Area stresses the need to extend this knowledge among the population. Failure to act during a cardiac arrest can have severe consequences, whereas recognizing symptoms, calling for help, and starting resuscitation maneuvers can make a life-saving difference.
The initiative is part of the City Council's efforts to promote healthy lifestyles, prevent cardiovascular diseases, and enhance citizens' emergency response capabilities. The Health and Consumption Area continues its commitment to basic CPR and defibrillation training through courses and workshops for residents of Bilbao's eight districts, municipal staff, and third-sector groups.
In the educational sphere, 983 students from the 4th year of ESO across 16 schools have been trained in Basic Life Support. Additionally, workshops were held for teachers, cafeteria staff, and families from four schools, with 127 participants.
During the 2026-2027 academic year, the Area will continue to promote these training activities for citizens, students, professionals, and all municipal staff.
