Every year there are up to 30,000 cardiac arrests in communities across the UK. Sadly, the survival rate is less than one in ten. For every minute that passes without cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or defibrillation, the chance of survival reduces by up to 10%.

Amazon employee having CPR training with British Health Foundation using a CPR dummy. He is holding the dummy's nose and listening to the breathing.

In a new programme to address this issue, Amazon is working with the British Heart Foundation and more than 100 independent delivery companies to train drivers who deliver parcels to Amazon customers across the UK in lifesaving CPR.

In some instances, CPR can more than double a person’s chances of survival, with research suggesting that survival rates are up to 25% in some parts of Europe where CPR is widely taught.

Jacob West, Director of Healthcare Innovation at the British Heart Foundation, said: “CPR is a lifesaving skill that only takes 30 minutes to learn. Unfortunately, in the UK there are far too many people dying of a cardiac arrest, so it is important that CPR training reaches as many people as possible.

“A cardiac arrest can happen anywhere to anyone, but more lives can be saved thanks to Amazon’s commitment that thousands of drivers who deliver packages to its customers across the UK will receive CPR training.”

We regularly see examples where drivers delivering Amazon parcels for our delivery service partners act selflessly to help others.
Kerry-Anne Lawlor, Country Director of Amazon Logistics

The BHF has trained Amazon instructors in CPR and free training is now being offered to thousands of drivers so that they can respond to emergencies when out on the road. The initiative builds on a programme Amazon introduced in 2019 to train employees in its London offices in CPR.

Kerry-Anne Lawlor, Country Director of Amazon Logistics, added: “We regularly see examples where drivers delivering Amazon parcels for our delivery service partners act selflessly when out on their routes to help others. We are delighted to work with the British Heart Foundation to be able to offer drivers lifesaving CPR training to respond in emergency situations.”

Last year, the BHF became the first UK charity to collect donations through an Amazon Alexa skill. Supporters can make a one-off donation through Amazon Pay or organise a free and fast collection of unwanted furniture and electrical items, which will be sold in one of BHF’s Furniture and Electrical stores in the UK. Customers can just ask, “Alexa, ask British Heart Foundation to collect my furniture,” or “Alexa, open British Heart Foundation and donate money.”

Money raised through the Amazon Alexa skill helps fund pioneering research into heart and circulatory conditions such as coronary heart disease, stroke, vascular dementia and their risk factors like diabetes.

Amazon Operations Supervisor Lloyd Curley kneeling on the floor and practicing CPR on a dummy, along with five of his colleagues doing the same in the background.

British Heart Foundation is also available on AmazonSmile, where customers can support their favourite charitable organisation every time they start their shopping at smile.amazon.co.uk, at no cost to them. When customers shop directly at smile.amazon.co.uk, they’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as amazon.co.uk, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the price of eligible purchases to the charity of the customer’s choice.

For more information please visit the British Health Foundation website.