KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Do you know how to do CPR? Saturday thousands of Boy Scouts and their leaders learned how to do the life-saving technique. It’s part of a new metro-wide initiative to train as many people as possible.
“We want to teach as many people hands only CPR as possible. That’s the easiest way to save a life,” said Deputy Chief Tom Collins with the Kansas City, Missouri Fire Department.
Saving more lives is the goal of the new Heartsafe Community Initiative championed by more than 72 regional fire chiefs.
“This is the first time in the region and nationwide that all the fire departments, hospitals are coming together to teach as many people as possible CPR,” said Fire Chief Richard Carrizzo with the Southern Platte Fire Department.
Saturday more than 12,000 Boy Scouts and leaders met at Kansas Speedway for the Scouting 500. Starting with the Boy Scouts, the goal of the new initiative is to teach everyone the signs and how to step in during a cardiac arrest.
How do you perform hands-only CPR? Step one is to check for response. You want to make sure the person having an episode is responsive or unresponsive. If they are not breathing, call 911. That’s Step two. You want to make sure that an ambulance and medical professionals are on their way as soon as possible.
In the meantime start chest compressions. That’s step three. You want to push hard and push fast without stopping. Make sure you’re compressing 100 times a minute and that you’re pushing two inches deep.
Deputy Chief Collins said it’s proven that hands-only CPR increases the survival rate.
“It does make a difference. It’s been proven that it does so if we can increase bystander CPR which is what we’re talking about is the minute someone goes down if somebody starts CPR there’s a better chance that that person is going to survive that cardiac arrest,” he said.
Want to learn how to do CPR? It doesn’t cost a thing. Contact the Heart of America Metro Fire Chiefs by clicking here, www.hoaheartsafe.org.
