Basics of CPR

Every year more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur in the USA. When a person collapses from a cardiac arrest, the longer the body is without circulation, the lower the chance of survival. By performing CPR, blood is kept circulating in a persons body until an ambulance arrives. The chance of surviving a sudden cardiac arrest increases significantly, by more than double, when CPR is started early.

Why learn CPR

1: You might save someone’s life.
2: You may save the life of someone close to you.

80% of cardiac arrests happen at home

HANDS ONLY CPR

The #1 reason people give for not performing CPR is because they think they may be doing it wrong. As a result, CPR is often delayed. The longer CPR is delayed, the more likely a person will die.

Hands only CPR is a technique where only chest compressions are delivered instead of chest compressions and rescue breaths. Several studies have shown that hands-only- CPR is just as effective as conventional CPR.

REMEMBER:

1: Any CPR is better than NO CPR at all

2: Hands-only CPR is easy to learn

Hands-Only CPR has just two easy steps

If you see a teen or adult suddenly collapse

(1) Call 9-1-1; and

(2) Push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the beat of the disco song “Stayin’ Alive.”

This is not a substitute for actual CPR training. Find a CPR class and get proper training. By the end of the class, you will know exactly how to react when someone collapses and has a cardiac arrest.