Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating or beats too ineffectively to circulate blood to the brain and other vital organs.
According to the American Heart Association, every year 475,000 people die from cardiac arrest. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation is an emergency lifesaving procedure performed when the heart stops beating.
Immediate CPR and early defibrillation with an automated external defibrillator (AED) can more than double or triple the chance of survival. The AHA says that for every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation, the chances of survival decrease by 7–10%.
OBXCPR, a new non-profit corporation, has been established with a mission of teaching people how to save lives.
“The American Red Cross stresses that every second counts in cardiac arrest and people can save lives by knowing how to perform CPR and use an AED,” said Frank Spruill, an OBXCPR volunteer instructor.
He adds that AHA data shows that if you give CPR in an emergency, you will most likely be trying to save the life of someone you love, a child, spouse, parent or friend. About 70% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen in the home.
Chip and Karen Walton who live in Kitty Hawk recently completed the OBXCPR training and Chip said, “the training we received from OBXCPR was outstanding.”
“The hands-on professional training Frank Spruill provides is invaluable. Frank is a gifted instructor and we are fortunate to have OBXCPR in our community. Every adult should learn CPR and AED operation just in case,” Chip said.
OBXCPR is a provider of American Red Cross CPR, AED, and First Aid training. In just a few short hours, you can gain the skills necessary to help save a life.
Completion of the course provides a two-year American Red Cross Certification. Classes are available for one to six people and training can be scheduled by contacting Frank Spruill at obxcprinc@gmail.com.