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Hands-Only CPR a quick, lifesaving skill to learn

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Crawford County Health Director Gloria Wall demonstrates Hands-Only CPR while a class participant, John Balk, follows along with the AED instructions to “shock the non-responsive person.” (Photo by Correne Martin)

By Correne Martin

Most people who survive a cardiac emergency are helped by a bystander. If you take the time to learn and practice Hands-Only CPR, you could be the bystander who provides life-saving care until professional responders arrive.

Hands-Only CPR can be learned in minutes. All it takes is the willingness to act and a few simple skills and you could save someone who is suffering a heart attack, stroke or cardiac arrest.

Crawford County Health Director Gloria Wall led one of four free Hands-Only CPR classes of about a dozen community members at the county administration building Monday afternoon. The hour-long class involved short videos and demonstrations of CPR, use of AEDs, as well as the Heimlich maneuver, for people of all ages. The fourth class will be offered at the Gays Mills Community Building on Wednesday, March 16, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. The county health department would appreciate a call at 326-0229 from those planning on attending.

According to Wall, these classes would also be made available around the county if groups of more than six people wanted to gather to learn the skills. Several public health nurses could provide the instruction. Call 326-0229 to schedule a class.

If you see an adult or teen suddenly collapse, here are the steps you should take to do Hands-Only CPR:

•If a person collapses, make sure the scene is safe.

•Look for movement. Shout and shake the person. Ask if they are OK.

•If there is no response, yell for help and for someone to call 911. If there is no immediate help, call 911 yourself.

•If there is no breathing, or the person is gasping, get the person to a hard flat surface and begin CPR.

•Kneel at the person’s side. Place the heel of your dominant hand between the person’s nipples at the center of the chest. Place your other hand overtop, clasp your hands together, lock your elbows, hover your weight over the person’s chest and begin pushing hard and fast at the center of the chest. You should push down at least two inches.

•Continue compressions at two per second (to the beat of “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees) until trained responders relieve you, the person starts breathing, or someone arrives with an AED (automated external defibrillator).

“It’s very hard work. It’s amazing the adrenaline you’ll have,” Wall said.

Wall added a couple important points.

If the non-responsive person is lying in a chair or bed, you must get them onto the floor to perform the Hands-Only CPR, otherwise your actions won’t help to save the person. If you’re alone with the person, tip the chair down head first and then get your body under the person’s arms, supporting their neck and head, and pull them off to the ground.

Also, be sure to kneel at the person’s side and not on top of them. This helps to prevent damage to the person’s body.

If the CPR is working, the non-responsive person will begin breathing and swallowing and get some color back in their face.

To watch short videos and demos, visit:
http://cpr.heart.org/AHAECC/CPRAndECC/Programs/HandsOnlyCPR/UCM_473196_H....

You may also visit:
http://www.redcross.org/get-help/prepare-for-emergencies/be-red-cross-re....

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