CPR CLASSES
What is CPR?
In 1960, a group of resuscitation pioneers combined mouth-to-mouth breathing with
chest compressions to create Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, the lifesaving action we now call “CPR.” This action, when provided immediately after a sudden cardiac
arrest, can double – even triple – a victim’s chance of survival.
Why Learn CPR?
Cardiovascular disease is #1 killer in US.
Heart attacks can happen suddenly, especially if you or a family member has one or more risk factors (family history, overweight, poor diet, smoking, etc).
Most medical emergencies occur in a person's home or other place of recreation.
You can't count on medical personnel to be nearby when you have an emergency, because chances are greater for sudden cardiac arrest to occur at home.
If your family and friends don't know CPR, life can be lost in mere minutes while waiting for help to arrive.
CPR buys time for the victim.
Once the heart stops beating, brain death can occur in 4 to 6 minutes. Performing CPR provides oxygen to the brain and other vital organs to give the
victim the best chance of full recovery after EMS takes over. If immediate CPR is given and a defibrillator is used within the first few minutes
following sudden cardiac arrest, the person's chance of survival doubles.
Questions about CPR?
Nobody in my family has a weak heart.
Heart attacks are not the only time to use CPR. There is also a stroke, accidents such as electrocution, overdose of alcohol or drugs, insulin shock
in diabetics, drowning, choking, suffocation, allergic reaction and trauma from injuries. There are a huge variety of situations that could happen
suddenly without medical personnel around.
I don't want to get sued if I perform CPR and the victim doesn't live.
There has been no known instance in which a layperson who performed CPR has been sued successfully. 'Good Samaritan' laws in Illinois specifically protect
people performing CPR 'in good faith.' Under this legislation, laypeople are protected if they perform CPR even if they have had no formal training.
I'm worried about getting AIDS during CPR.
The probability that a rescuer will become infected with AIDS as a result of performing CPR is minimal. There have been no cases to date of transmission of
AIDS during mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. If you are still concerned, there are face masks and shields available that you can place over the victim's mouth
to provide a physical barrier during mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Some of these are small enough to be carried on your keychain.
Don’t wait; contact us today to learn more about our AHA certified classes.
