According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 735,000 Americans have a heart attack each year. Many of these incidents result in death or disability. By increasing public awareness and education in the treatment of cardiac arrest (“heart attack”), Southwest General Hospital hopes to increase survival rates in San Antonio.

 

Throughout the week of February 18-22, 2019, Southwest General Hospital will send trained medical staff to any business in San Antonio for hands-only CPR training, free of charge. To schedule a free training session, call Regina Delgado at 210-921-3275.

 

Why Train People In CPR?

A heart attack can occur anywhere. In many cases, an ambulance can take up to ten minutes or more to arrive. In the case of a heart attack, every second counts. Survival rates decrease by 10% for every minute that passes without CPR, which is why it’s essential for all communities, businesses and organizations to have individuals trained in CPR. Having employees or co-workers trained in CPR could actually save your life!

 

According to Take Heart America, a nonprofit initiative aimed at increasing survival rates and optimal neurological outcomes after cardiac arrest, survival rates increase 2-3 times when CPR is performed by a lay rescuer.

 

Unfortunately, “The percentage of lay rescuers who perform CPR varies widely from 20% to >50%, depending on the region and location type,” reports Take Heart America. Southwest General Hospital aims to increase those numbers by educating leaders and employees in businesses throughout San Antonio.

 

Why Hands-Only CPR?

Hands-only (or “chest-compression only”) CPR does not require mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, making it a more comfortable option for the general public. Furthermore, hands-only CPR is easier to teach and learn. In the event of sudden cardiac arrest, a bystander has only to call 911 and then press hard and fast into the center of the victim’s chest at a rate of 100-120 beats per minute. (The Bee Gee’s “Stayin’ Alive” and Shakira’s “Hips Don’t Lie” are two songs commonly used as examples for this rate.)

 

“Hands-only CPR education prepares our community with skills necessary for providing life-saving interventions during a sudden cardiac arrest,” says Lydia Dela Rosa, Chest Pain Center Program Coordinator at Southwest General Hospital. “We are very excited to engage San Antonio businesses in learning this invaluable skill.”

 

Schedule a Training Session at Your Workplace

To schedule a free hands-only CPR training session at the location of your choice during the week of February 18-22, call Regina Delgado at 210-921-3275. This program will be offered on a first registered, first served basis.

 

Contact

Regina Delgado

Director of Business and Physician Operations

Director of Marketing and Public Relations

210-921-3275