Center for Aging & Community Hosts Hands-Only CPR Training
On Thursday, March 19th, the Center for Aging & Community (CAC) brought a life-saving opportunity to the community as part of CAC Executive Director Emily Tisdale's American Heart Association Woman of Impact campaign. Faculty, staff, and students gathered on campus for a free Hands-Only CPR Training — and left as lifesavers.
Why Every Second Counts
The session was kicked off with some eye-opening facts about cardiac arrest and bystander response. Attendees learned that cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death, with more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occurring in the United States each year. About 90 percent of those who suffer cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die, but CPR performed immediately can double or even triple a victim's chance of survival. Attendees also learned that roughly 70 percent of cardiac arrests happen at home, meaning the person most likely to need CPR is someone close to you.
The group also explored the gender gap in bystander CPR response: women are less likely than men to receive CPR from a bystander, and that men have 23% higher odds of surviving a sudden cardiac arrest than women. That reality made the training feel all the more impactful and meaningful.
Two Steps That Save Lives
From there, attendees got hands-on. They practiced Hands-Only CPR, which has just two steps:
- First call 911 when you see someone suddenly collapse
- Push hard and fast in the center of the chest at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute.
Participants practiced keeping the beat using familiar songs like "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees, a technique that helps people remember the correct compression rate and feel more confident in an emergency. The group left knowing that Hands-Only CPR is just as effective as conventional CPR for cardiac arrest at home, at work, or in public.
From Bystanders to Lifesavers
We are incredibly proud that Emily has been named an American Heart Association Woman of Impact, and events like this are a direct reflection of our commitment to improving heart health in our community. Thanks to everyone who attended and participated. Together, we turned bystanders into lifesavers.
To learn more about Hands-Only CPR, visit heart.org/handsonlycpr.