Paying It Forward: Save a Life!
Paying It Forward: Save a Life!
Most heart attack patients survive cardiac arrest if assisted in timely manner. the three steps of Hands-Only CPR: Check & Call, Give Chest Compressions, Do Not Stop. Any action is better than none!
Happenstance I learned how to save a life Monday as Red Cross volunteer Anthony Gojmerac trained a dozen Southwest Rotarians for Hands-Only CPR. Hands-Only CPR is simple to learn and easy to remember. Most heart attack patients survive cardiac arrest if assisted in timely manner. Hands-only CPR is CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) without rescue breaths (mouth to mouth). Anthony led us through the three steps of Hands-Only CPR: Check and Call, Give Chest Compressions, Do Not Stop.
Check the scene. Is it safe to interact with the person? Now check the person. Shout to get their attention, tap their shoulder; continue for 5-10 seconds. While doing this, check their breathing. If the person doesn’t respond and is not breathing normally, call 911 and prepare to give chest compressions.
Kneel midway between their waist and shoulders with your legs shoulder width apart. Place the heel of one hand in the center of the person’s chest. Place the heel of your other hand on top of the first hand and interlace your fingers. Keep your arms straight by positioning your shoulders directly over your hands. Push hard and push fast, compressing at least 2 inches at 120 times per minute – two times per second. Let their chest rise completely for before pushing down again.
Don’t stop until, you see signs of life, another responder arrives and takes over or if you are too tired to continue (the position over your shoulders directly over your hands increases your endurance). Other reasons to stop, an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) is ready to use, EMS personnel take over or the scene becomes unsafe.
After demonstrating with foam blocks (resistance of mid-chest) we each practiced in parallel. We kneeled, place our hands with interlaced fingers on the foam blocks and practiced. Two minutes of 120 compressions per minute seems much longer. Anthony encourages us noting, “just keeping the blood moving to their brain enables their recovery.”
Taylor Johnson, Disaster Program Manager and Kara Nickens Region Executive Director also shared the range of volunteer training and opportunities to serve are updated on RedCross.org. I also learned that March is Red Cross Month – how about volunteering or getting some training. Maybe we can save a life, I’m ready.
Thoughts for this week: Live for today, not the fears of tomorrow.
Meet people where they are.
How Are the Children Doing? Jack Browne
Published in Times Record News, Trends section, Sunday February 25, 2024
