Startling statistic alert: 22,000 people die each year, in their home, following a heart attack.
Statistics from the British Heart Foundation (BHF) show that these cardiac arrests - which amount to 80% of the UK's 30,000 deaths that occur outside of hospitals each year - are often in front of families and loved ones.
Less than one in 10 people survive.
The reason for such a large number of deaths? According to the BHF, 61% of people do not have the skills or confidence to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) which could double a person's chance of survival.
Their aim? To launch a National Lifesavers campaign which will teach mandatory CPR skills and awareness in secondary schools - and hopefully save 5,000 lives a year in the process.
The British Heart Foundation commissioned a survey involving 2,072 adults, which found that 46% of people would be deterred by the 'fear of causing more harm than good'.
Meanwhile, 40% of people lack the knowledge and skills to act and 57% said they would look for someone else to take the lead if they were to witness a medical emergency.
SEE ALSO:
Heart Attacks: All You Need To Know About Symptoms, Risk, Prevention
New £10 Heart Attack Blood Test Could Save Thousands Of Lives
The Time A Heart Attack Or Stroke Is Likely To Strike: 6.30AM
The BHF's training programme for schools, workplaces and community groups teach three simple steps that could save a life - Call. Push. Rescue.
To mark the campaign launch, the BHF and Yorkshire Ambulance Service are today training nearly 12,000 children in a bid to inspire all secondary schools to register for a free CPR training kit.
BHF chief executive Simon Gillespie said: "Today's figures are a stark reminder that you're most likely to witness a loved one suffer a cardiac arrest so it's imperative that people learn CPR should they be faced with the worst in their own home.
"Too many lives are lost needlessly because people don't have the basic CPR skills to act in life-threatening situations," he added.
Story continues below...
Gillespie continued: "Today we're running the world's biggest CPR training session across Yorkshire that we hope will spark a movement that everyone in the country wants to be part of.
"The 'Call. Push. Rescue' message is simple to remember and by spreading this far and wide we're determined to radically improve the country's shocking survival rates. We need every school, workplace, community group and individual to join the Nation of Lifesavers and help make the UK a safer place to live."