Every year, there are more and more AEDs in public areas, shopping malls, and office buildings throughout New Jersey. In addition, corporate onsite CPR training is becoming more widespread as businesses are doing everything they can to increase safety in the workplace. These devices are helping save people’s lives when they have sudden heart problems that result in cardiac arrest. Though these machines are easy to use, it is still very important that more people receive AED training and CPR training in NJ. The proper training will increase the chance that someone will be able to use the device properly, and research has shown that these devices can help double or triple a person’s chance of surviving sudden cardiac arrest.

Every minute counts in these types of emergencies. Someone with AED and CPR training in NJ has the knowledge and skills to immediately respond to an emergency, increasing the chance that the person survives. If you have never seen or used an AED before, it can be intimidating, especially when someone else’s life is on the line. Completing AED and CPR training in NJ will help give you the training and confidence to respond correctly in any emergency without hesitation.

What Is an Automated External Defibrillator?

An AED, also known as an automated external defibrillator, is a small device that can help save the life of someone who has experienced sudden cardiac arrest. The device has electrodes that you attach to the person’s chest, and these electrodes can detect the person’s heartbeat and determine if they need an electric shock to restore the normal rhythm of their heart. The device can then deliver that electric shock to the person’s heart and help them before it’s too late. In combination with CPR training in NJ, the use of an AED can dramatically increase a person’s chance of survival.

AEDs are lightweight, portable, and powered by batteries, making it very easy to carry them to any victim and begin using them. They are normally located in malls, offices, and in public places, so that they can be used in an emergency. Because AEDs are automated, they are very easy to use. With the training in a corporate onsite CPR training session, anyone can learn how to use one effectively. The computer in an AED is able to analyze the person’s heartbeat and will prevent you from using an AED on a person who doesn’t need it. The computer will also help assist you in using the product and will tell you when to provide the electric shock. CPR training in NJ can provide more familiarity with the device, which ensures that it used 100% correctly.

When Do You Use an AED?

If a person’s heart has suddenly stopped beating, their body goes into sudden cardiac arrest, and this is when an AED can be used to potentially save that person’s life. Classes for CPR training in NJ can show you how to recognize when someone is experiencing sudden cardiac arrest and how to quickly respond.

If someone suddenly loses consciousness and collapses, you should immediately try to wake them up and get them to respond. If they do not respond, you need to check their breathing and pulse and call 9-1-1. At this point, you will need to immediately provide CPR and use the AED before the medical professionals arrive. This type of response, if performed correctly, can dramatically increase someone’s chances of surviving. With corporate onsite CPR training, you can learn exactly what to do and how to do it during a future emergency. Contact us for more information about CPR training in NJ.

Sources:

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/aed/howtouse

Today CPR is one of the most accepted and standardized techniques used by emergency responders, and corporate onsite CPR training is offered in almost every major company and business in the United States. Though this has been the case for decades, there was a time when the technique was less accepted by the public and the medical community.

Like other medical breakthroughs, CPR was not discovered all at once. Instead it was slowly studied and refined until it became the standardized life-saving procedure that it is today. From its beginnings in the 1700s, cardiopulmonary resuscitation has continued to evolve as doctors have learned more about the human body, and now it is an extremely effective way to provide emergency medical response to a person suffering from sudden cardiac arrest.

The Beginning

The first mentions of the procedures that would one day become CPR appeared in the middle of 18^th century. The Paris Academy of Science began to endorse mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for drowning victims in 1740.

Around the same time, the Society for the Recovery of Drowned Persons was organized. This organizations was founded in Amsterdam in response to the hundreds of citizens who died by drowning in the canals every year. Though not all of the society’s ideas were medically accurate or effective, some of their practices were very similar to how CPR is performed today. These practices would spread to other organizations that provided medical assistance to drowning victims, but it would still be some time before doctors and others studied these techniques in detail.

In the next 150 years, the medical community learned more about the human body and began to study resuscitation. Finally at the end of the nineteenth century two doctors, Dr. Friedrich Maass and Dr. George Crile, independently documented the medical use of chest compressions to resuscitate someone who had drowned. Dr. Maass performed and documented chest compressions, and Dr. Crile had similar success in 1903. From then on, medical organizations adopted chest compressions as a way to revive those who had drowned.

Mouth-to-Mouth CPR

Then in the 1950s, there was another breakthrough in cardiopulmonary resuscitation research. Dr. Peter Safar, Dr. James Elam, and Dr. Archer Gordon were able to prove that mouth-to-mouth resuscitation could provide adequate oxygen to the body and increase the chance of survival of a drowning victim. In 1956, they developed techniques that made mouth-to-mouth CPR more effective, and soon these practices were adopted by the U.S. military and emergency medical services.

In 1960, the American Heart Association started to teach physicians how to perform CPR. In the next decades, the practice became more and more accepted. The first large scale CPR training occurred in Seattle, Washington in 1972. Leonard Cobb led the training program called “Medic 2” which trained more than 100,000 people in the program’s first two years.

CPR in Businesses

Businesses also started providing corporate onsite CPR training, so employees could perform the technique during an emergency, and this became more and more common. Corporate onsite CPR training is now found in many of the world’s largest corporations and businesses. Not only does it help make offices safer, but it’s also a great team-building and leadership opportunity for organizations.

If you are interested in corporate onsite CPR training, there are many ways that you can provide training on a flexible schedule and give participants the chance to get certified in CPR. Our corporate onsite CPR training programs are designed to make CPR approachable and easy to learn, so that your staff will be able to use these techniques to save the lives of coworkers, family members, and anyone else who needs help.

Sources:

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/CPRAndECC/WhatisCPR/CPRFactsandStats/History-of-CPR_UCM_307549_Article.jsp

CPR training in NJ will prepare you for many types of emergencies, but with any luck you’ll never find yourself in a situation where someone’s life is in danger. However, if that type of situation ever occurs, you’ll be prepared to quickly act, providing CPR and other emergency care to increase the victim’s chance of survival. After suffering sudden cardiac arrest, a person only has about an 8% chance of surviving before they make it to the hospital; however, immediate CPR can double the chance of survival and saves over 90,000 lives every year in the United States.

Though learning CPR is often a thankless task, those who are able to use it to save someone else’s life usually receive the gratitude of the person’s family and community. That gratitude is more than enough of a reward, but in New Jersey the American Heart Association actually gives an award to people who’ve used CPR to make the state a safer place. The New Jersey American Heartsaver Awards were given out on June 3^rd and were awarded to 29 residents of New Jersey for their efforts to save people’s lives. Some of these individuals were recognized for individual acts of CPR and others were recognized for other efforts that advance CPR training in NJ.

Applying CPR Training and Other Knowledge to Save Lives

In addition to learning how to perform CPR specifically, CPR training in NJ also teaches individuals how to identify when someone needs emergency medical care and how to use an AED device to help people suffering from sudden cardiac arrest. These training programs provide participants with a lot of knowledge and skills that they can use in a number of different situations such as when someone has a heart attack, suffers an allergic reaction, almost drowns, is shocked with electricity, chokes, or suffocates.

One of the recipients of the award this year was Melanie Mercado, a resident of Union County who works as a registered nurse at RWJ University Hospital in Rahway. When she was going home from work one day, she saw someone lying in the middle of the street and realized they were the victim of a hit-and-run. Using her CPR training, Mercado told someone else to call 911 while she began performing CPR. She continued to provide CPR until the paramedics arrived and the woman would not have survived without her help and immediate action.

Providing CPR Skills and Training to More NJ Residents

Though the American Heart Association honors a lot of people who directly perform CPR to save another’s life, it also uses its awards to bring attention to people and organizations that provide CPR training in NJ and increase the number of trained and prepared citizens who can perform CPR. This year Joseph Przytula also received an award for his efforts to do just that.

After the state government passed legislation to provide CPR training in NJ public schools, Pryztula helped implement the program in Elizabeth Public Schools. As the supervisor of health, safety, and physical education, he makes sure that every student receives CPR and AED training before they graduate—more than 700 students every year. His fantastic efforts to expand CPR training have made his school, community, and state a much safer place for everyone who lives and works here.

For those interested in CPR training in NJ, there are many places across the state where this type of training is available. The more people that learn how to respond in emergencies, the safer everyone will be when emergencies happen. When a person performs immediate CPR and AED, they can triple the chance of the victim surviving the ordeal. If you are looking for CPR training in NJ, contact us today.

Sources:

http://www.nj.com/suburbannews/index.ssf/2015/06/two_union_county_residents_hon.html

Though CPR, which stands for cardio pulmonary resuscitation, has been around for a long time, many people don’t know exactly how it works, the science behind it, or how effective it is. This is too bad, because if the public better understood how important CPR is, more people would enroll in CPR training in NJ. Fortunately, more and more public schools are providing CPR training in NJ, and this is making all communities in the state safer. The number of corporations offering this training to employees is also increasing around New Jersey.

Though some people are turned off by the idea of having to perform CPR on total strangers, the truth is that most medical emergencies occur at home and at work. In addition to potentially saving the lives of strangers, CPR training in NJ can also help you save the lives of your family, friends, and others you care about. CPR training is most likely to save the life of someone you know and care about, and that’s why so many people are interested in learning how to safely perform it. Additionally, there are hands-only CPR techniques that can be learned that avoid mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for those who are squeamish about that type of technique.

CPR Saves Lives

Research conducted on CPR continues to show that CPR can potentially save a person’s life — about 92,000 lives every year. CPR can be an effective way to restore breathing and normal heart function, and it can increase a person’s chance of survival after

• sudden cardiac arrest
• heart attack
• choking
• suffocating
• almost drowning
• suffering an allergic reaction
• getting shocked with electricity
• overdosing on drugs

This isn’t to say that CPR will always save a person’s life. When a person requires CPR, their body is already under an extreme amount of stress, and the problems that caused their heart to stop may be too serious to repair with CPR. About 92% of people who experience sudden cardiac arrest do not survive before they arrive at the hospital; however, performing CPR immediately can double or triple that person’s chances to survive.

When a person stops breathing, every second counts. That’s why it’s so important that one of the first people who reach the victim can perform CPR without any hesitation. CPR training in NJ doesn’t just teach people how to perform CPR, which is relatively simple; it also provides each participant with the confidence they need to act decisively in an emergency situation.

Who Can Use CPR Training?

Everyone can benefit from learning how to perform CPR. It is not just something for lifeguards and medical professionals. Many businesses offer corporate onsite CPR training to their employees because it’s a great team-building exercise and increases the safety of every employee in the office. Most offices now have AED devices, which use electricity to restart the heart. During CPR training, employees can also learn how to use these devices which can save someone who’s in sudden cardiac arrest.

CPR training in NJ is also popular among private citizens who want to be able to perform CPR for their family members and friends. When there is an emergency, it is very important that someone nearby can perform CPR immediately before the medical professionals arrive.

If you have family members with heart problems, children with congenital defects, or just want to be prepared for an emergency, CPR training is right for you. We provide different types of training and certification to give you the tools you need to save someone’s life. Contact us for more information about our next session of CPR training in NJ.

Sources:

http://lasvegassun.com/news/2015/jul/13/how-perform-adult-cpr/

You’ve probably seen defibrillators used on dozens of medical TV shows and in movies. A doctor or medical professional will yell, “Clear!” and a powerful jolt of electricity brings the person magically back to life. Have you ever actually wondered how the defibrillator works and why a jolt of electricity can restore someone’s heartbeat? Though television can sometimes make it seem as simple as jump – starting a car, a defibrillator is a very advanced piece of technology and training can make operating it much easier.

Fortunately, many corporate onsite CPR training courses provide first aid and AED training in addition to CPR training. Learning more about AED technology can help you better understand when you can use it to save someone’s life, and in combination with corporate onsite CPR training, you’ll have the preparation you need to respond during an emergency.

The Electrical System of the Heart

Though it may sound strange, every person’s heart is controlled by electrical signals within their body. Most organs are controlled by electrical signals that are sent through the nervous system from the brain, but the heart actually has its own source of electrical signals. These electrical signals spread from the top of the heart to the bottom and make the muscles in the heart contract. The rhythm of this contraction, also known as the heartbeat, pumps blood throughout the body at a steady rate.

Without constant pumping of blood, a person’s organs and brain won’t receive the oxygen they need and will start to fail. When a person’s heart stops beating, it is called sudden cardiac arrest, and this is when an AED, or automated external defibrillator, can save a person’s life. With corporate onsite CPR training, you will be able to identify these situations and respond immediately to increase the person’s chance of survival. According to some studies, using an AED and performing CPR can double a person’s chance to survive.

Irregular Heart Rhythms

Why does sudden cardiac arrest occur? Though most people’s hearts have electrical systems that work correctly, some people’s hearts do not receive the right type of electrical signals. This affects the rhythm and rate of their contractions and makes sudden cardiac arrest more likely.

Heart rhythms that are not normal are called arrhythmias. Ventricular fibrillation is a common type of arrhythmia that causes the bottom of the heart to beat irregularly. Ventricular tachycardia is another type of arrhythmia affecting the chambers in the bottom of the heart, and both of these arrhythmias can cause sudden cardiac arrest. Arrhythmias can occur in all types of people, and many are not even aware that something is wrong with their heart. Completing corporate onsite CPR training can prepare you for when these emergencies occur unexpectedly.

Using an AED

When someone is experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, an AED might be able to save their life. The electrical signal sent by the device can get the heart beating at the right rhythm again. With its built-in computer, an AED can measure a person’s heartbeat, or lack thereof, and determine if an electric shock is needed. The device’s computer will also be able to determine what type of electric shock is necessary and give instructions so that it’s used correctly.

During this type of emergency, corporate onsite CPR training can ensure that someone knows how to respond and can respond immediately. Every second counts, so it’s important to have people who are trained and prepared. Using an AED correctly can increase a person’s chance of survival to 75%. If you are interested in learning more about AEDs and corporate onsite CPR training, contact us today.

Sources:

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/aed

http://heartsine.com/2012/12/how-does-an-automated-external-defibrillator-work/

I want to get a certification. That’s it!

Well, a large number of people want to enroll for CPR classes only for the sake of a certification. Most hospitals and healthcare organizations require their employees to have basic knowledge regarding First-Aid, CPR and AED. A person looking for a certification to just get employment in such organizations, has endless options of classes to choose from.

A simple “CPR class” search on Google will fetch a long list of agencies and a variety of training classes for enrollment. However an overwhelming majority of these online agencies have absolutely no standards in granting a certification. They are there to just make money. These agencies may provide a handbook on CPR and conduct an online test before granting a certification. As a matter of fact, a large number of them just hand over a certification for simply registering for the course and paying the fees.

Nonetheless, whether the employing organization will accept the certification from a particular online agency or not is completely at their discretion. Therefore, it is better to know which certifications they accept beforehand, if possible.

I want to learn to administer CPR

It is impossible to learn CPR without some actual practice in the presence of an instructor. The actual practice is done on a mannequin in a CPR class. Only some agencies go to the lengths of providing a mannequin and an experienced instructor to train the students. When I say experienced instructor, he should be someone who has had hands-on experience of administering a CPR. Having someone who has worked as a paramedic or a nurse is the best bet. Likewise, the classes which require their students to demonstrate competence in CPR administration, for awarding a certification are trustworthy.

Various hospitals and EMS providers conduct weekend CPR classes, which are, more often than not, quite good too. But, generally they do not offer certifications for attending their classes.

Remember to ask these questions before enrolling for a CPR class.

• Is hands-on training available?
• Is there a mannequin available on which you can perform chest compressions? Will each student get one to practice? 
• Is the instructor experienced?
• What was the nature of his previous job? Did he have the opportunity to perform CPR?
• How rigorous is the training?
• Are there any tests for awarding the certification at the end of the training?

I want to learn as well as get a CPR certification

The certifications awarded by various CPR classes are not valid universally. Whether a certification is considered valid is purely at the discretion of the person and/or the organization asking for it. Overall, there are only 2 organizations whose certifications are widely, if not universally, accepted. They are American Heart Association and American Red Cross. These organizations are known for their excellent training programs. On the other hand, depending on your location, they may not have year-round classes. It is therefore recommended to check for their class schedules in advance.

1. Am I allowed to do a CPR if I have do not have a certification or never attended any CPR class?

Yes. CPR certification or class training is not mandatory for you to spring to action and extend your valuable help to save a fellow human being`s life. However, some country laws require you to ask for victim`s permission before you perform a CPR on them. CPR classes make you aware of such legal obligations to be mindful of, in the event of such emergencies.

2. Am I obligated to perform a CPR on a victim in emergency, if I am CPR certified?

Except in the state of Vermont, there is no legal obligation in the U.S. for a fellow-citizen to administer a CPR on an emergency victim. The state of Vermont has the Good Samaritan Law (Duty to Aid the Endangered Act), which puts an obligation to a fellow-citizen present in an emergency to extend all the reasonable help that could be provided to the victim. This includes a CPR as well. However, the case is different for professional rescuers such as a firefighters, EMS’s, lifeguards and so on, for whom it is a duty to perform CPR on the victim, if required.

3. Is it better to join a traditional classroom CPR class or an online CPR class?

There is no better way to learn the lifesaving skills than practicing them live on a mannequin. The experience of practicing while being continuously monitored and advised by an instructor is the best method to learn the procedure. Online classes neither offer the depth of knowledge nor the experience that is characteristic of traditional CPR classes.

4. How often do I need to take CPR classes to remain competent in administering a CPR?

With advances in medical science, our understanding of CPR and its effects improve continuously. The CPR guidelines are updated regularly to reflect these changes. In order to keep yourself updated to the latest guidelines and to have enough practice on a regular basis, it is generally recommended to retake the certification every 12 months or less.

5. Are online CPR certifications valid?

Since there is no national level regulatory body to monitor the activities of various CPR training agencies, a number of online CPR certification agencies have cropped up. Their standards for awarding a certification are very low and therefore, it is entirely up to the employer to consider or reject the certification from an online agency.

6. Are the CPR classes different for amateurs and professionals?

Yes. A professional agency such as the American Heart Association has customized training programs for amateurs learning to become capable of saving a loved one in emergency and for professionals such as a daycare provider or a nurse. On a broad level, the CPR classes train students in administering CPR on adults, children and infants. While amateurs are generally trained to provide CPR to adults, the professionals are trained based on their professional requirements.

7. Do I need to pass an examination or a test to get a CPR certification?

All good CPR training agencies require their students to pass a skills test, during which they are required to demonstrate their CPR administration skills in practice. Depending on their performance in the test, they are awarded a certification. Even the well-known CPR training agencies which offer online programs, require the students to perform a physical skills demonstration to award a certification. Nevertheless, many agencies give away certifications without conducting any test and when the tests are conducted, the students are hardly rejected.

1. Legal Implications:

An emergency requiring CPR is naturally a life and death situation. Consequently, the legal implications of the actions by various parties during the situation are also serious. Although it is the duty of a CPR professional to act and tend to such an emergency, considerations such as consent, scope of practice, confidentiality, documentation and so on are equally important. The classes train participants on the legal considerations and proper behavior to be followed with the victim.

2. Protection against pathogens

The professionals are trained on the various methods of preventing the spreading of blood-borne pathogens from the victim. It is possible that an emergency victim is a patient of blood-borne diseases such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV. Therefore a professional should be well versed with precautions to be taken against exposure to such pathogens and also know the steps to be taken if an exposure occurs.

3. Primary Assessment

One of the first things a professional is required to do in an emergency is to assess the conditions of the victim. Unconsciousness, breathing, pulse and bleeding are to be checked. The accuracy of the assessment is critical, for the correct administration of life-saving techniques to the victim. Classes discuss in depth, the steps to be taken during assessment of victims in various emergencies such as spinal injuries, drowning, vomiting and so on.

4. Respiratory Distress Situations

In the pandemonium that ensues an emergency, it is difficult to notice important clues on the conditions of the victim such as Hypoxia, Choking or slow breathing. Professionals are trained to look for a dozen symptoms of respiratory distress in a victim and the assistances they can extend the victim.

5. Cardiac Emergencies

This could be a tricky subject for a non-professional since the symptoms of cardiac emergencies are easily confused with muscle spasms or indigestion. A late response in identification of and response to a heart attack could mean death to the victim. CPR Professionals are trained to recognize the various causes and symptoms of a heart attack so that they can tend to the victims.

6. Administration of CPR

CPR is a fairly complex technique and requires considerable skill on part of a professional. Factors such as hand position, chest compression rate, ventilations and others, have to be properly monitored while administering a CPR. These factors also depend on the age of the victim.

7. Two-Rescuer CPR

In this method, one of the rescuers gives chest compressions, while the other administers ventilations in a synchronized manner. Since those few precious moments of emergency can be a deciding factor between life and death for the victim, an extra pair of hands is an advantage. The CPR classes train the participants on how to administer a two-rescuer CPR in sync with each other.

8. Automated External Defibrillator (AED)

Most classes on AED may not cover the topic of AEDs for the simple reason that it is not something that is readily available to everybody in an emergency. They are available mostly with the Advanced Medical Personnel. However, some classes do cover AEDs in varying depths of detail. Typical knowledge explored in AED sessions include using an AED on adult, child and infant, precautions to be taken with AED and so on.

Most of the information on CPR is easily obtained online. But it is a fairly complex task and requires considerable skill on part of you to administering it. Therefore, it is your duty, as a responsible fellow human, to practice these skills in person in classes. What`s more, as someone with such life-skills, the people around you can depend on you to tend to them during an emergency.

Las Vegas firefighters are garnering increased attention for their hands-only CPR training.  As one of the locales leading the way for cardiac arrest survival rates, Las Vegas is approaching incredible 25% survival numbers and even has its sights set on reaching 50%.  The hands-only CPR approach is appealing to many who might have reservations about doing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.  The positive numbers do not, however, appear to reflect the element of chance; Las Vegas firefighters have made it their goal to increase CPR training and to improve people’s chance for survival.

 Short and Simple

One of the hallmarks of the Las Vegas Firefighters’ program is that is easy.  The hands-only technique is not overly difficult for people to learn.  Moreover, the instruction can be achieved in a mere matter of minutes.  The program is also free which makes it easier to promote to community residents.  Many people are happy and even grateful to have the opportunity to learn the life-saving techniques so quickly and at no cost.  The firefighters are hoping to bring their training to increasing numbers of people.  So far their efforts have been rewarded with those increased survival rates.

Hands-Only CPR

Sometimes referred to as ‘compression-only’ CPR, this technique is gaining in popularity around the country but especially in urban areas.  Hands-only can be a viable form of CPR, especially where emergency responses tend to be quick.  In more remote places, compression and mouth-to-mouth CPR increases people’s chance for survival.  The hands-only form of CPR can save a life and preserve good neurological (brain) function when properly conducted.  The firefighters have also designed an app to accompany the training that users may refer to for information.  According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the app “notifies those trained in the use of CPR and the operation of the Automatic External Defibrillator when they are within 200 yards of a cardiac emergency that has been called into the fire department.”  The app can also tell people where the nearest public AED is in reference to the incident site. (reviewjournal.com/columns-blogs/john-l-smith/las-vegas-firefighters-lead-way-cpr-training)

Innovative Approaches to CPR Training

CPR is getting more attention throughout the U.S.  For this reason, training programs like the Las Vegas Firefighter program are getting national recognition and making a difference in people’s lives.  The hands-on only form of CPR is gaining considerable popularity as a viable form of the techniques.  Also the public placement of AEDs is also part of the overall push for more CPR resources.  Some states are simply pushing CPR training as a requirement for students.  In this way, states will produce generations that have the necessary training.  In states like Virginia, high school students must become certified to perform CPR before graduating.  Other nations are also considering similar mandates.  In Denmark, teen drivers cannot obtain a driver’s license until they complete CPR training.

With so many fine approaches to CPR training underway, many hope that more people will survive cardiac arrest episodes.  Studies are now underway to determine which programs show the most promise.  People can help this national effort, of course, simply by signing up for CPR training in their own communities.

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• Save A Life: Reference Guide To Learning Cpr

CPR training is invaluable for preserving life when catastrophe strikes. It is also finding its way into sporting events. In recent news, various athletes have required CPR. Sometimes it’s an unknown heart condition that leads to a collapse or sometimes it’s pure exhaustion. Whatever the case, bystanders that have CPR training can save the life of an athlete that suffers cardiac arrest. The following news items reflect recent incidents where CPR was performed on the court or field.

Young Wrestler Saved by CPR

Recently a 15-year-old wrestler was the subject of an astounding news story. The teen was dead was seven minutes yet his school principal has just completed CPR training six days before and was able to administer the life-saving techniques until emergency services arrived. The youth had an undetected hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that led to his cardiac arrest; the condition plagues various young athletes though it can be detected through an EKG. The boy’s school did not require the test and the boy was allowed to wrestle. Today he is alive thanks to the timely intervention of his school principal who is certainly gratified that he completed his training!

AEDs and Schools

A young Idaho football player owes his survival to an AED that was placed at his high school. Having collapsed on the field, the boy received CPR from two coaches while a third ran for help and to retrieve the school’s AED. The coaches delivering the CPR are convinced that the boy might never have revived it was not for the AED. They now advocate for these devices which they believe should be placed in all schools as well as other public places.

Teen Girl Saved on Basketball Court

A teen softball player decided to play some basketball for a change at the school gym when she collapsed on the court. The coach ran to her side and knowing CPR, he was able to deliver a couple rounds before others could bring the AED to him. Because she had no pulse, the coach knew to deliver one shock to the girl. He was able to keep her alive until emergency help arrived. Her case was another instance where both CPR and the AED were essential for saving her life that day.

Athletes Do CPR Too!

This past fall a college student athlete was able to help administer CPR before her game. On game days this young woman liked to go to the local coffee shop for a little jolt of caffeine. Upon arriving, she saw a commotion at the entrance where a man had collapsed. Knowing CPR, she was able to help revive him by performing chest compressions until emergency services arrived. In her case, a coffee habit and CPR saved a human life!

Athletics is fun for kids and they can hardly wait to hit the court, track, or their associated venue in order to play their hearts out! Sometimes, their hearts carry an undetected abnormality that stops them in their tracks. Luckily athletic departments now understand the essential need to train in CPR and to keep AEDs on hand. These people were lucky to survive their ordeals and they did because bystanders trained in CPR and were on the scene to help!