Take one minute and save a life

It only takes a minute to learn to save someone’s life.
June 1-7 marks National CPR Week and the American Heart Association is urging people to take 60 seconds to watch a hands-only CPR instructional video so they are ready to act if they are ever in a situation with a cardiac emergency.
The video features the two steps to take when an adult is in cardiac arrest. First dial 9-1-1 and then push hard and fast – about 100 beats per minute – in the center of the victims chest. One hundred beats per minute is similar to the beat of the song “Stayin’ Alive,” an apt tune for potentially life-saving CPR. The video can be viewed on our web site.
Seventy percent of Americans have never been trained in CPR or their training has lapsed. When people lack confidence and knowledge of CPR, the odds of survival get worse for victims of cardiac arrest
“Most Americans simply don’t know how to help,” said Dr. Stacey Rosen, president of the American Heart Association’s Long Island board of directors. “But anyone can learn hands-only CPR and everyone should. In the time it takes to wash your hands, wait for a red light to change or update your Facebook status, anyone can learn to save someone’s life.”
People who watch a brief hands-only CPR training video are significantly more likely to attempt CPR, according to a recent study published in the association’s scientific journal Circulation.
This year, the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement is helping to spread the hands-only CPR video through the “Make it Your Mission to Learn CPR” campaign. Since four out of five cardiac arrests happen at home it is important for women to know what to do in an emergency.
“Women don’t want to be bystanders – not at home, not at work, and certainly not in a crisis situation – and learning CPR allows them to be prepared for cardiac emergencies,” Rosen said.
Hands-only CPR is recommended for adults who suffer a cardiac arrest at home, at work or in a public location. Children under eight years old still need full CPR with chest compressions and breaths since the cause of their cardiac arrest is typically respiratory-related.
“Ideally, everyone should be trained in CPR with hands-on practice,” said Rosen. “At least by watching our hands-only CPR video, anyone can learn the basics and give adult cardiac arrest victims chest compressions – and a fighting chance at survival.”
For more information visit www.heart.org/cpr