This month EP took our 1st First Aid/CPR/AED training class at Frontline Health (An American Red Cross Partner).
We took this class because cardiac arrest – an electrical malfunction in the heart that causes an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) and disrupts the flow of blood to the brain, lungs and other organs – is a leading cause of death. Each year, more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the United States. When a person has a cardiac arrest, survival depends on immediately getting CPR from someone nearby. Almost 90 percent of people who suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests die. CPR, especially if performed in the first few minutes of cardiac arrest, can double or triple a person’s chance of survival.
We want to be the difference for someone we care about. Don’t you? If you are called on to give CPR in an emergency, you will most likely be trying to save the life of someone you care about and/or love: a child, a spouse, a parent or a friend and even a co-worker. 70 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen in homes. They can also happen at work or on a job site. Unfortunately, only about 46% of people who experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest get the immediate help that they need before professional help arrives. EP wants to make sure if we are in this position we are not afraid to take action!