New Hands Only CPR Video; Learn this Life-Saving Skill and Share with Others

June is a great time to raise awareness for the importance of CPR training with National CPR Awareness week June 1-8.  More than 300,000 out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests occurring every year in the United States. Sadly, most people who suffer a sudden cardiac arrest do not receive life-saving CPR within the first 3-5 minutes of their attack.  Hands Only CPR - compressions, hard and fast in the center of the chest - keeps the blood and oxygen flowing to the brain and other vital organs until help arrives, either an AED or emergency medical professionals. The more people trained in Hands Only CPR, the more lives we can save.  

In South Dakota, we are still working to join with other states across the country to include Hands Only CPR as a high school graduation requirement.  We know that by putting more than 7,000 life-savers into our communities each and every year that more lives could be saved from sudden cardiac arrest. Our task is to raise awareness for this life-saving skill among legislators, high school administrators, teachers, community leaders, parents and students. Let’s make sure South Dakota joins other states by including CPR instruction in our schools! 

Hands Only CPR is easy to learn; almost anyone 12 years of age and older has the physical strength to perform Hands Only CPR.  Watch this 90-second video to learn how to perform Hands Only CPR.  Remember that when someone collapses, your first response should be to call 9-1-1.  Then check for breathing and ask someone to go and get an AED.  Then, press hard and fast in the center of the chest to beat of the song "Stayin' Alive."  Keep doing compressions until help arrives. 

The chances of survival for victims of sudden cardiac arrest are greatly improved when Hands Only CPR is performed within the first three to five minutes.  If someone you loved suffered sudden cardiac arrest, would you know what to do?  Take a few minutes today to learn Hands Only CPR, then share on social media so that everyone you know can perform this life-saving skill.