CPR & First Aid

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3 Things you might not know about CPR


1. CPR Saves Lives

Currently about 9 in 10 people who have a cardiac arrest outside the hospital die. But CPR can help improve those odds. If it is performed in the first few minutes of cardiac arrest, CPR can double or triple a person's chance of survival

2. Cardiac Arrests Often Happen at Home

About 350,000 cardiac arrests happen outside of hospitals each year---and about 7 in 10 of those happen at home. Unfortunately, about half of the people who experience cardiac arrests at home don't get the help they need from bystanders before an ambulance arrives

3. You Don't Need Formal Medical Training to Perform CPR

You don't need a special certification or formal training to perform CPR, but you do need education. If cardiac arrest happens to someone near you, don't be afraid---just be prepared! Follow these steps if you see someone in cardiac arrest:

  • Call 9-1-1 right away. If another bystander is nearby, save time by asking that person to call 9-1-1 and look for an automated external defibrillator (AED) while you begin CPR. AEDs are portable machines that can electrically shock the heart and cause it to start beating again.
  • Give CPR. Push down hard and fast in the center of the chest at a rate of 100 to 120 pushes a minute. Let the chest come back up to its normal position after each push. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends tmiing your pushes to the beat of the song "Stayin' Alive." This method of CPR is called "hands-only" and does not involve breathing into the person's mouth.
  • Continue giving CPR until medical professionals arrive or until a person with formal CPR training can take over. 

Learn more about the hands-only method of CPR from AHA.

If you want to gain confidence in performing CPR, consider taking one of the FREE classes offered by the Orange Beach Fire Department!

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