In a
life-threatening emergency, doing something is better than doing nothing
at all. If you haven’t been trained or can’t recall how to perform full
CPR, the Red Cross recommends two simple steps to help someone survive a
cardiac arrest:
Call or have someone call 9-1-1 or the local emergency
number.
Give continuous chest compressions until medical help takes
over.
Compression-Only CPR enables
untrained bystanders to react and respond when they witness an adult or
adolescent suddenly collapse.
Compression-Only CPR involves giving continuous chest
compressions to adults or adolescents (at the rate of 100
compressions per minute). Compression-Only CPR is not
recommended for children or infants.
Compression-Only CPR takes a few minutes to learn, is easy
to remember and can help save a life.
The Red Cross
encourages people to get full CPR training and to have at least
one person in everyone household trained in lifesaving skills.
Training in full CPR is important because it can be
performed on adults as well as children and infants and enables
you to help in other emergencies.
The Red Cross offers other lifesaving skill courses like how
to help someone when someone is choking, first aid or how to use
an AED.
Even when administering
Compression-Only CPR, it’s important for people to know where to place
their hands or how much pressure to apply to the chest. That’s why the
Red Cross has created a home kit that allows people to practice
Compression-Only CPR.
The "First Aid and CPR for Everyone" kit includes
information on proper hand placement and comes with a
compression practice tool that helps indentify the amount of
pressure needed to properly administer chest compressions.
The kit is available on www.RedCrossStore.org and
also includes an instructional DVD, emergency action steps
wallet card, and an emergency first aid guide.
In a life-threatening emergency, doing something is better than doing
nothing at all. Visit RedCross.org to find your local Red Cross chapter.
Sign up for First Aid/CPR training today!
If you see an adult (or adolescent) suddenly collapse:
1. Check the scene for safety and see if person responds by tapping
their shoulder and shouting, "Are you okay?"
2. If the person does not respond, call 9-1-1 or the local
emergency number. Even if you are alone, make the call right away.
3. Open the airway (tilt head, lift chin) and briefly check for
normal breathing:
Look to see if the chest rises and falls
Listen for breathing
Feel for breathing on the side of your face
4. If no breathing occurs, give continuous chest compressions at rate
of 100 compressions per minute.
Kneel beside the person and place the heel of one hand on
the center of the chest.
Place the other hand on top and lace your fingers together.
Position your shoulders directly over your hands, keeping
your arms straight and fingers off the chest.
Push down on the chest fast and deep (about 2 inches) and
let the chest rise completely before pressing down again. Don’t
take your hands off the chest, just your weight.
5. Do not stop or interrupt compressions until:
You see an obvious sign of life such as normal breathing