Cardiac Arrest: Why I Became a BCLS Instructor

Utsav taking participants from Team Nila through the CPR+AED steps

It was an ordinary day when everything changed. My father, healthy and active, suddenly collapsed—cardiac arrest! At that time, he was on a business trip in the US, where luckily, people seem to know what to do in an emergency like this. There was a cardiologist nearby; the ambulance came quickly, and everything went as smoothly as it could have. It was a nightmare, but dad got the help he needed. And it was not lost on me how easily things could have gone the other way. 

I was only 15, and that misadventure hit me hard. What if no one around knew what to do? What if help hadn’t come fast enough? I realised how fragile life is and how, in those critical minutes, knowing CPR could make the difference between life and death. This stuck with me, and I knew I wanted to change that phobia—for myself and for others. 

Mrs Gupta, Utsav’s mother, was also present at the event, guiding Team Nila participants through the CPR+AED procedure

I made it my mission to get certified in CPR and AED as soon as I could. My father had survived a cardiac crisis, but so many others are not as fortunate. I could not change that for everyone, but I could make sure that the next time I found myself in a similar situation, I would be ready to help. 

By the time I was 16, I was not only certified, but I was also training others to cultivate their CPR and AED skills. Volunteering with the Singapore Heart Foundation (SHF) allowed me to use my skills to make a real difference. The SHF offers so many ways for us to give back— at public awareness campaigns, school demonstrations, community events. I threw myself into all these, teaching anyone and everyone how to perform CPR and to use the AED. I realised that having these skills was not enough. I wanted to make sure others own them too. 

The reality is unfortunately, cardiac arrest is not rare. Every year in Singapore, over 3,000 people experience out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and the odds of survival drop fast if CPR is not applied right away or if an AED is not deployed. The numbers tell you everything you need to know: with CPR, a person’s chance of survival doubles or even triples, and an AED can make an even bigger impact if used in the first few minutes. Yet, most people don’t know what to do when faced with a cardiac emergency like that. 

So why don’t more people nurture the CPR skills and the use of the AED?  Honestly, I think it comes down to fear—fear of doing it wrong, fear of stepping in. In fact, doing something is almost always better than doing nothing.  

A cardiac arrest survivor himself, Mr Gupta was there to share his story and stressed the need of how essential CPR+AED skills could be the difference between life or death

And the more people who are trained, the better our chances as a community to make a real difference in those critical moments.

For me, teaching CPR skills isn’t just about sharing your expertise. The process gives people the confidence to act when it matters most. Through SHF, I have seen how quickly people pick up the knowledge and skills and how much they appreciate learning to save a life. That’s what keeps me going—knowing that every person I train is another potential lifesaver out there. 

I’m 17 now, and being a Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) instructor is one of the most meaningful roles for me. CPR is not something reserved for medical professionals or emergency responders—it is for everyone. You don’t need a specific background or years of training to make the difference. Sometimes, all it takes is a few hours of learning, a bit of practice, and the willingness to step up when the need arises. 

Are you ready to make a difference? Find a CPR training course here. Equip yourself with the knowledge, the skills and the confidence to react in an emergency. Sometimes, a few minutes of your time could mean a lifetime for someone else. The next cardiac arrest victim could be someone you know and love.

Article is contributed by Utsav Gupta, student at the Tanglin Trust School, and volunteer BCLS+AED Instructor at the Singapore Heart Foundation.