The Los Angeles County Fire Department, American Heart Association and Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services Agency hosted a news conference to kick off Sidewalk CPR Day across Los Angeles County. Photos by Nicole Mooradian.
by Nicole Mooradian
Los Angeles County firefighters and lifeguards, as well as other EMS providers, taught Hands-Only CPR to thousands of people during the fifth annual Sidewalk CPR Day, held Thursday, June 2.
Hands-Only CPR consists of two easy steps: calling 911 and pushing hard and fast in the center of a person’s chest, according to the American Heart Association. There is no mouth-to-mouth resuscitation involved.
The chest compressions provide ongoing blood flow to keep vital organs healthy for the first few minutes after a cardiac arrest.
“Sudden cardiac arrest can happen anywhere, anytime,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Deputy David Richardson Jr. said. “Seventy percent of the time, cardiac arrest happens at home. By knowing Hands-Only CPR, you can be the skillful hands that deliver lifesaving help while firefighters are on their way.”
Bystander CPR can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival. Currently, only about 3 percent of cardiac arrest victims in Los Angeles County survive, and only 46 percent of victims nationwide receive CPR from a bystander.
Amber Waller knows the value of immediate CPR. Waller suffered from sudden cardiac arrest while playing soccer in the summer of 2013; three players—two from her team and one from the opposing team—took turns performing CPR on her until paramedics arrived. She was revived in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
“Those players on the field that day saved my life, and I wouldn’t be here today without them,” Waller said during a news conference to kick off Sidewalk CPR Day. “It was truly a miracle.”
In total, the Los Angeles County Fire Department, Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency and other EMS providers hosted more than 75 Sidewalk CPR Day training sites at various locations, including shopping centers, hospitals and even at the beach.
“Sidewalk CPR Day—it’s probably my new favorite holiday,” Waller said. “If you don’t know CPR, learn it. If you do, spread the word. I look forward to the day when everyone knows CPR.”
This year’s goal was to train more than 10,000 people throughout the county. Final numbers were not available as of publication time.
Video by Phil Wilford.
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