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Save a Life Saturday Aims to Train Thousands in Hands-Only CPR

Photo Credit: Red Cross
Photo Credit: Red Cross

http://ozarkspub.vo.llnwd.net/o37/KSMU/audio/mp3/save-life-saturday-aims-train-thousands-hands-only-cpr_67999.mp3

September is National Preparedness Month, and the Red Cross will work this weekend to prepare people if their help is ever needed in a medical emergency.  Saturday (9/14) is Save-a-Life Saturday, and hands-only CPR will be taught in a variety of locations in and around Springfield.

Red Cross spokesperson Nigel Holderby says, by giving just a few minutes of your time Saturday, you could end up saving a life.

"The thing that we really want to encourage people to understand and to learn this lifesaving skill  for is that, by calling 911 in a cardiac emergency and then doing just hands-only compressions, you can actually make that person's chance of survival that much higher," she said.

Booths teaching hands-only CPR will be set up at the Do Good Festival on Park Central Square, at the Downtown YMCA, at all Springfield fire stations and at fire stations in surrounding communities.

Holderby says participants will watch a two minute video and do some practice compressions.

"We have some compression tools that simulate the pressure," she said, "that, you know, whenever you do compression what would that feel like?" 

She says the goal is to train 15,000 people in Southwest Missouri in hands-only CPR Saturday.  According to Holderby, the training doesn’t replace the full CPR/first aid classes the Red Cross offers.  She hopes people will take time to sign up for those in the future.

For details about Save-a-Life Saturday or to watch the hands-only CPR video, visit redcross.org.