Special to the Herald
WHAT: Performing hands-only CPR doubles or triples someone’s chance of survival of a cardiac arrest. Seminole County Fire Department’s (SCFD) Community Outreach Team and Seminole County Firefighters recently trained more than 100 Action Church members in hands-only CPR and AED use through SCFD’s Save-a-Life Seminole program.
The Action Church members are both staff and “REACH” volunteers dedicated to learning and “reaching” more residents and learning the lifesaving importance of hands-only CPR. This is one of the largest hands-only CPR trainings for outside organizations besides high schools that the SCFD has done. Several of the SCFD firefighters giving the training are also Action Church members.
Pictures - Action Church members in their red “REACH” shirts learning hands-only CPR on feedback CPR manikins, which help teach the compression rate, release and depth needed for effective hands-only CPR.
DID YOU KNOW? CPR STATS
• Performing hands-only CPR doubles or triples a person's chance of survival.
• Knowing what an actual AED (automated external defibrillator) is and where it is located is extremely important. AEDs are extremely easy to use and will guide you through each step. The AED will not adversely “shock” someone if they do not need it.
Finding and using an AED is a key part in the chain of survival.
• If you witness someone in cardiac arrest you do not need to be a medical professional to help. Early bystander compressions are critical to keep the blood flowing to the brain and vital organs while first responders are enroute.
• Time is tissue and seconds and minutes matter. It’s essential that when a cardiac arrest happens, first responders have the public’s help before arrival in order to help ensure that chain of survival.
