Making Pembrokeshire Tourism Safer: Why Improving CPR Skills Matters

Updated

23 February 2026

When someone mentions safety in the tourism sector you probably think risk assessments, fire regulations, gas, oil or electrical safety requirements, food safety, control of substances hazardous to health, management and disposal of waste, and the list goes on……..

But do you consider CPR & first aid. Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anywhere, and the difference between life and death often comes down to what happens in the first critical minutes. This is especially true in tourism hotspots like Pembrokeshire, where visitors may be unfamiliar with their surroundings and emergency services might have longer response times in rural areas. By taking simple, proactive steps, tourism businesses can create safer environments for both guests and staff.

So why does this matter? Every year in the United Kingdom, there are up to 100,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests across the UK, and if those numbers surprised you the next are even more shocking. In Wales, survival after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest remains particularly low at less than 5%, compared to around 10% in the rest of the UK.

Evidence from cardiac emergency research suggests that response times in rural areas are often slower than in urban centres, due to distance and resource constraints, which directly impacts survival. This is particularly relevant for Pembrokeshire, where many tourist sites, coastal paths, beaches, campsites and remote locations lie far from major hospitals and rapid emergency response.

All of this highlights a critical public health challenge in Pembrokeshire, however it doesn’t have to be this way. Working together we can improve outcomes after a cardiac arrest by strengthening every link in the Chain of Survival from early recognition and calling for help, to early CPR and defibrillation with an AED, culminating in early advanced medical care.

When CPR and AED use happen within the first minutes of a collapse, survival chances can double or more, and AEDs used within 3–5 minutes can achieve survival rates up to 50–70% in some cases.

Despite the clear impact of early action, public knowledge and confidence remain low as nearly half of UK adults have never learned CPR and 60% say they have never had training in the use of an AED. Although even when trained, confidence matters, research shows under 30% of people feel they could confidently deliver emergency CPR in a real situation.

There are practical steps tourism businesses can take to make Pembrokeshire safer for visitors, staff and local communities.

Include CPR Awareness in Staff Training

Not all staff need full First Aid at Work certification, but every team member should have a basic life support (BLS) introduction that includes recognising cardiac arrest, performing hands-only CPR and locating and using an AED. This can be delivered as part of induction training, regular refreshers, or short courses.

Map and Share Nearby Defibrillator Locations

Know where the nearest public access AEDs are to your business. If you have an AED, or know of one locally check it is on the register & if it is not, get it added. www.defibfinder.uk Use tools like what3words to pin exact locations of AEDs.

Add Safety Info to Welcome Packs

Tourism welcome packs are a great place to include details such as what3words codes for near AEDs and key locations, CPR steps and emergency numbers, tips for coastal emergency calls. Provide first aid kits in holiday accommodations or at agreed collection points.

Promote a Culture of Preparedness

Display signage about AEDs and CPR in public areas of your business, share stories of how prompt action saves lives and encourage staff, suppliers and visitors to learn lifesaving skills.

Tourism businesses that can state “All our staff are trained in basic life support and aware of CPR and AED use” don’t just improve safety, they raise the appeal of Pembrokeshire as a responsible and caring destination. With visitors increasingly seeking safe, welcoming experiences, this commitment can set your business apart.

Every second counts in a cardiac emergency. By raising awareness, increasing skills, and making lifesaving tools easier to find and use, Pembrokeshire tourism businesses can help save lives — transforming hearts and minds across the county.