Oceanside CA— Sudden cardiac arrest kills nearly 1,000 people per day in the United States. Nearly 60% of these victims don’t get bystander CPR and are therefore without any blood flow to the brain and other vital organs for critical minutes until medical personnel arrive. For every one minute without CPR a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival goes down by 7-10%. The nationwide survival rate for cardiac arrest victims is currently only 11%.
By learning CPR citizens can help improve survival rates from sudden cardiac arrest. Hands-Only CPR is easy to learn, and easy to do.
Oceanside
In Oceanside, the Oceanside Fire and Lifeguards will be participating in the June 4, 2015 statewide Sidewalk CPR Event. San Diego as a county is participating in this statewide this event, and is hoping to meet their 2015 goal of training 4,000 people in CPR. Oceanside will host two Hands-Only CPR Training sites from 0900-1200 on 6/4/2015. Trained rescuers will be available to train citizens in Hands-Only CPR and on AED use.
Locations are:
1. The Oceanside Lifeguard Headquarters, 301 N. The Strand, Oceanside, CA 92054
2. The Oceanside Civic Center, 300 N. Coast Highway, Oceanside, CA 92054
At this event, trainers will also be providing information on the PulsePoint App. This is a public phone app that alerts users to cardiac arrests in public locations close to them, and also notifies the user as to the location of the closest AED. This app is designed to help increase the percentage of sudden cardiac arrest victims that receive lifesaving CPR and AED use before medical personnel arrive.
Last year the Oceanside Fire/Lifeguards trained 363 people in Hands-Only CPR.
Carlsbad
Also on Thursday, June 4, Carlsbad firefighters will demonstrate the latest lifesaving CPR techniques, during “Sidewalk CPR Day.” The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the lawn at Carlsbad Boulevard and Pine Avenue.
“We can show people how to do hands-only CPR in about 10 minutes,” said City of Carlsbad Emergency Medical Services Manager Linda Allington. “We encourage people to stop by when they are out and about, or during lunch. This simple lesson can help save the life of someone you love.”
Hands-only CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is a method of applying chest compressions without giving mouth-to-mouth breaths.
Allington says that recent studies have shown that rhythmic chest compressions alone can save lives, and firefighters will demonstrate the hands-only technique at Thursday’s event. Hands-only CPR can be used on anyone who is unresponsive and not breathing. It is most effective on adults who suddenly collapse, and it is better to start hands-only CPR than to do nothing at all.
Allington advises to call 911 if you see someone collapse and stop breathing, but that applying CPR can help prolong that person’s life while you wait for paramedics to arrive. Allington said that knowing CPR is valuable for everyone. “Eighty percent of cardiac arrests occur in the home,” Allington said.
The City of Carlsbad Fire Department is partnering with San Diego County EMS to offer the Sidewalk CPR training.
For more information on the Sidewalk CPR event in Carlsbad, contact Linda Allington, 760-931-2175, linda.allington@carlsbadca.gov