The crash casts a shadow over everything. All gets chilly, and your vision goes white. You’re slipping. You know it is the end. So much you had to accomplish yet. So many things you are leaving unsaid. Pain drowns out the voices. How can your story end like this—like a speck of dust that just went with the wind?
You jolt awake to the gentle beep of machinery. “A bystander did CPR, buying enough time for specialists to take over,” the doctor explains. Your parents cry tears of joy. You get a second chance at life.
All because of bystander CPR!
What is CPR?
Every second matters in emergency situations. In emergency settings, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a life-saving treatment that can make the difference between life and death. It is simply a mix of rescue breathing with chest compressions. Until expert medical assistance arrives, this method helps maintain the life of the brain and other critical organs.
Emergency: The Need for Immediate Action
According to the Global First Aid Reference Center, each year sudden cardiac arrest claims millions of lives globally. Immediate CPR can significantly increase survival rates, but only about 46% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims receive bystander CPR.
According to Jobera, in the US, 70% of individuals feel unprepared when faced with sudden medical emergencies to give first aid. At the global rate, only 5–10% of people in low-income countries are trained in first aid.
Basic CPR training can help save half the lives lost. Only in the US, 475,000 people die annually from cardiac arrest, of which half can be saved by bystander CPR.
The Necessity of Training for Emergencies
Imagine finding yourself in the middle of a situation where help is not imminent and a person needs immediate CPR. Basic training might enable you to buy enough time until professional medical assistance is available. You could save a life.
Here are four steps to perform CPR.
In addition to the above-mentioned steps, you can follow a full process on how to give CPR.
- Check responsiveness: Tap the person on the shoulder and shout to see if they respond. Try asking, “Can you hear me?” to check their responsiveness.
- Call for Help: Immediately dial emergency services (e.g., 911) or ask someone else to do so. Meanwhile, tilt the person’s head back slightly to open the airway and look for signs of normal breathing for no more than 10 seconds.
- Chest Compressions:
- Place the heel of one hand in the center of the chest and the other hand on top.
- Push hard and fast, at least 2 inches deep, and at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute.
- Rescue breaths (if trained):
- After 30 compressions, give 2 rescue breaths.
- Pinch the nose, make a seal over the person’s mouth, and blow until the chest rises.
Make sure to keep repeating the cycle of “30 compressions and 2 breaths” until help arrives or the person starts to breathe.
Texas CPR Training and Certification Programs
Here are some options for CPR training in Texas:
- Texas CPR Certification: Offers approved CPR certification courses for all age groups, with both online and in-person options available.
- Texas OnSite CPR: Provides training classes for companies and individuals at various locations in the DFW area.
- American Red Cross: Offers CPR classes that can be taken online, in person, or through a blended learning experience.
- Texas CPR Training: Located in Dallas, they offer CPR, AED, and first aid courses.
- Texas Heart CPR Training: Provides Basic Life Support (BLS), CPR, ACLS, PALS, and First Aid classes at multiple locations.
Conclusion
Every second matters in critical situations. By preserving important functions until expert medical assistance comes, CPR is a life-saving skill. It is impossible to overestimate the importance of bystander CPR—it could be the difference between life and death.
Putting in the time to learn CPR gives people the skills and self-assurance they need to respond quickly and efficiently in emergency situations. We can create a more resilient and prepared community that is equipped to save lives when it counts most by raising awareness and providing training. Buy Time! Save Lives!
