MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, Mich. — The Muskegon Heights Fire Department is partnering with the American Red Cross to provide residents with free hands-only CPR classes, which Lieutenant Qsun Ma says is a potentially life-saving initiative for the community.
"We have so many medical emergencies going on at once, it sometimes may be a delayed response from our emergency responders to get there," Lieutenant Ma said. "Allowing citizens to get the need, get the education to provide these life saving skills, and CPR not only helps them, but helps us with our job too."
WATCH: Hands-on CPR classes train Muskegon Heights neighbors on life-saving skills
The American Red Cross notes that almost 12,000 people receive CPR training every day, and in the past year alone, the organization trained 4.5 million individuals in CPR and first aid.
"Now, would we like to see more? Absolutely, but we understand there's barriers, and so it may be asset technology, it may be transportation, and maybe all of these different types of things that affect these community residents," said Tony Gerheiser, Executive Director of the American Red Cross - West Michigan Chapter.
The Red Cross offers on-site training, often at no cost, but it is also becoming easier for individuals to learn CPR on their own time. The American Healthcare Academy reports the emergence of new training methods, including online courses, virtual reality, and mobile apps.
According to recent statistics from the Red Cross, each year, more than 350,000 people in the U.S. experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, with 90 percent of these individuals not surviving. Notably, over 70 percent of these incidents occur in homes.
"So it happens all the time, and that's why we just need a little preparedness in our community, so that way when these situations do happen, someone can respond and they can potentially save a life," Gerheiser said.
At Muskegon Heights City Hall, Sandy Shellenbarger with the American Red Cross conducted a class in hands-only CPR, demonstrating the life-saving procedure on a dummy.
"Basically it's to help keep someone their blood moving until the proper people can arrive and do it," Shellenbarger explained.
Hands-only CPR is easy enough for anyone to learn, according to Shellenbarger. Participants are taught to place their hand in the center of the chest, interlock their fingers, and perform between 100 and 120 compressions per minute.
To learn more on how to become CPR certified through American Red Cross, click here.
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