February is Heart Month, which means it’s once again time to think about heart-related emergencies.
The Stettler District Ambulance Association is encouraging everyone to learn how to save a life with CPR this Heart Month.
In a cardiac emergency, every second counts, which is why knowing what to do is so important.
What you do in the time it takes the ambulance to arrive could be the difference between life and death.
If someone is not awake and not breathing, their best chance at survival is with CPR and defibrillation.
Anyone can do CPR and use an automatic external defibrillator (AED)...but do you know how?
According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, it’s as easy as this:
1. Call 911.
2. Put one hand on the center of the breastbone, and put your other hand on top of the first.
3. Push down two inches, then let the chest spring back up.
4. Push 100 times per minute, to the beat of “Stayin’ Alive”.
5. If you have an AED (defibrillator), turn it on. It will talk to you and tell you how to use it.
The Heart and Stroke Foundation recommends not doing rescue breaths unless you’re properly trained, as chest compressions are far more important.
The Stettler District Ambulance Association and Stettler Public Library have teamed up to provide free public CPR and AED education at the library on a regular basis. The next sessions will be at 6:30 PM on Feb. 28 at 6:30 PM, on March 27, and on May 5. We hope to see you there!
Please pre-register with the library by calling 403-742-2292.
If you can’t make it to these sessions, watch for more throughout the year!
