we learned about the Chain of Survival, in which every second counts. We were taught how to recognize cardiac arrest: First, check to see if the person is conscious by tapping them and making noise. Then see if the person is breathing (watch to see if their chest rises and falls, listen for breathing sounds, feel their breath on your cheek). If they are not conscious, call 911, and if they are not breathing, start CPR immediately and send someone to retrieve the nearest AED. Katrysha demonstrated how to do chest compressions on an adult: Put one hand on top of the other, interlace your fingers, and place the heel of your hand in the center of the person’s chest, in line with the armpits. She played the Bee Gees’ hit “Stayin’ Alive,” which has the ideal 100 to 120 beats per minute rhythm required for hands-only CPR. The aptness of the song’s title did not escape me as I applied enough force to push 2 inches deep into the mannequin’s chest. I was surprised at how hard you have to push. I was even more surprised that my son and his friend easily had enough strength to do so. We placed a plastic pocket mask with a one-way valve onto the dummy’s mouth, which prevents direct contact during resuscitation, and practiced giving rescue breaths. Katrysha then showed us how to operate the AED, and the kids loved the way the machine talked them through each step. A built-in metronome provides the chest-compression rhythm, just in case you can’t hear “Stayin’ Alive” in your head. When the class ended, I was euphoric. For the first time
since my husband’s release from the hospital, I wasn’t terrified. Learning CPR was the most empowering thing we’ve ever done, and I believe every family should do it. Calling 911, performing CPR immediately, and using an AED can triple a person’s chance of survival, and yet the American Heart Association has found that nearly 90 percent of out-ofhospital cardiac arrests are fatal. The campaign CALLPUSH-SHOCK, cosponsored by Parent Heart Watch and the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, is working to increase survival rates by encouraging people to take action with CPR and an AED. While it’s frightening to witness this kind of medical emergency, a 911 dispatcher can also walk you through the procedure over the phone while you’re waiting for first responders to arrive. I knew many parents who rushed to take an infant CPR course when their child was born so they could save them from choking. But we don’t think about how valuable learning CPR can be for the entire family. We received a training manual and a certification card, and we now own a portable AED. But taking the CPR course gave us much more than first aid training. It became a turning point in our family’s healing journey: Finally, we were no longer powerless.
Be a Lifesaver Hover your camera’s phone over the smart code to find a CPR class near you.
Kids Can Learn CPR More than 356,000 cardiac arrests occur outside a hospital in the U.S. each year, and it can be hard to imagine that happening to a grandparent, baseball coach, or babysitter—possibly in front of your child. Learning lifesaving skills at an early age is both possible and worthwhile. “If they’re strong enough, kids as young as 8 or 9 can easily do chest compressions and become CPR certified,” says Corey Abraham, director of instructor development at HSI, in Eugene, Oregon. “At that age, they should be able to understand and retain the information for recall when and if they need it in an emergency.” Most mannequins used in CPR classes make a clicking sound when students practice chest compressions to show they’re pushing hard enough and fast enough. “Kids younger than 8 can learn how to recognize an emergency and call 911.” Many local and national organizations offer hands-on CPR training, including the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association. Make sure the person leading the course is a certified CPR instructor. The cost varies depending on where you live. “In Eugene, you might pay $70, and in New York City, the same course could cost $110,” Abraham says. When kids are in a class, instructors usually incorporate additional breaks, give out prizes to make it more engaging, and play songs like “Baby Shark” to demonstrate the correct compression rhythm. “I would encourage everyone to take a class, even if you have kids under age 8, because it’ll help them recognize an emergency,” Abraham says. “If that’s the only thing they learn, the course was worth it.”
