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Hands-only CPR taught in town
Hands-only CPR taught in town
WAUWATOSA (WITI) -- It's not quite "Saturday Night Fever," although there were plenty of gold chains and white suits.
These people are just warming up to learn how to literally stay alive.
"It actually was a lot of fun and it kind of relaxed you and helped you with the beat to make sure that the compression was in time," says Beth Voecks as she learned Hands-Only CPR.
This group of employees from Briggs & Stratton got a lesson in hands-only CPR.
"There`s two steps to staying alive, so you dial 911 and then push hard and fast in the center of the chest to 100 beats per minute, which is actually the song "Staying Alive," says American Heart Association Community CPR Manager Katie Connolly.
The event is part of a three-year nationwide tour by the American Heart Association though a grant from Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
The hands-only method is proven as effective when someone goes into cardiac arrest as conventional CPR, without the stigma of putting your mouth on a stranger.
"The survival rate for cardiac arrest is very low it`s only about 11% that`s because a lot of people don`t take action," says Connolly.
Each compression must be two inches downward from the center of the chest.
"I was going, going, going and then all of a sudden I was like geez if you have to wait for the paramedics to come you could be doing this for quite a few minutes," says Steve Gleixner after he learned Hands-Only CPR.
All of the participants got to bring home their CPR kit to teach their family and friends.
"My girls are getting old enough to babysit so it`s important for them to understand and family definitely," says Voecks.
The more people learning this skill, the more lives can potentially be saved.
The American Heart Association is holding a free training session to the public on Wednesday, June 11th, inside the Atrium at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist (812 N. Jackson Street) from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. To sign up or for more information, CLICK HERE.
The American Heart Association also has an app for iOS and Android that shows you how to perform hands-only CPR.