EVANSTON, Ill. -- Learn to save a life this Valentine’s Day by attending a free training session on hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at Northwestern University and other Evanston locations.
Most people who experience cardiac arrest at work or at home die because immediate CPR from bystanders is not available. Yet 70 percent of Americans do not know how to provide care, or they are afraid to do so, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).
Members of the Northwestern and Evanston communities will learn to act as first responders Sunday, Feb. 14, as part of a program created by Heart Safe Communities, designed to promote survival from sudden out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
In 30 minutes, participants will gain critical skills in how to recognize the signs of a heart attack, when to call 911, how to perform hands-only CPR and the proper use of an automated external defibrillator (AED).
Hands-only CPR is considered an effective way to get bystanders to attempt resuscitation. Based in part on two major studies by The New England Journal of Medicine, the AHA removed rescue breathing from CPR guidelines for teenagers and adults in sudden cardiac arrest.
Training sessions will run in 30-minute increments from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants can register online in advance or on site at any of the 15 locations in Evanston.
Northwestern will host sessions at three sites:
- University Hall, Room 218
- Norris University Center, Northwestern Room
- Technological Institute, Room L158
A list of the other 12 sites in Evanston can be found online at Illinois Heart Safe Community.
Northwestern’s partners on this initiative include Presence Saint Francis Hospital, the Evanston Fire Department, Illinois Heart Rescue and NorthShore University HealthSystem.
Several University units, including Neighborhood and Community Relations, Safety and Security, the Center for Civic Engagement and Norris University Center, will provide volunteers and support during the training sessions.
Training sessions are free, and complimentary snacks will be served.