June 8, 2018
National CPR and AED Awareness Week has come to an end. RAA continues to stress the importance of learning CPR.
In 2007, the American Heart Association, in coalition with the American Red Cross and the National Safety Council, worked collaboratively to federally designate a National CPR and AED Awareness Week, which happens the first seven days of June each year.
According to the American Heart Association more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the United States each year. About 90 percent of people who suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests die.
When a person has a cardiac arrest, survival depends on immediately receiving CPR from someone nearby. Only about 46 percent of people who experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest receive the immediate help that they need before professional help arrives. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival.
Many Americans don’t perform CPR because they don’t know what to do or they are afraid of hurting the person. To help increase the likelihood of people performing CPR in an emergency, the American Heart Association recommends Hands-Only CPR, which has two easy steps. Step 1: Call 911. Step 2: Push hard and fast in the center of the chest until help arrives.
Check RAA’s calendar for more information about when you can register for upcoming classes.
