Lastly, November is CPR month - with 70 per cent of cardiac arrests happening at home, taking a CPR course is a simple action that could help save a loved one’s life. The Canadian Red Cross is urging Ontarians to learn CPR or refresh their skills by taking a course - be sure to check out one of the many free LWAB workshops offered through our partnership with the Canadian Red Cross.
Learn more about CPR and test your knowledge for a chance to win a family first aid kit at www.redcross.ca/firstaid. Get the Facts!
Seventy percent of cardiac arrests happen at home: Canadian Red Cross
November is CPR month: Know what to do.
Ontario, November 1, 2011 – With 70 per cent of cardiac arrests happening at home, taking a CPR course is a simple action that could help save a loved one’s life.
November is CPR month, and the Canadian Red Cross is urging Ontarians to learn CPR or refresh their skills by taking a course.
“Knowing how to help a person suffering from cardiac arrest can mean the difference between full recovery and permanent disability or even death,” says Lorraine Davies, Director, First Aid and Water Safety, Canadian Red Cross. “CPR training teaches people how to recognize the signs and symptoms of a heart attack and how to act quickly and effectively in an emergency situation.”
Over 50,000 Canadians die of coronary disease every year. In large urban centres, the average ambulance response time is nine minutes, yet permanent brain damage can occur four to six minutes after breathing stops. Effective bystander CPR, administered immediately following cardiac arrest, can double a victim’s chance of survival.
“For Canadians who have never been trained in first aid or CPR, now is the time to learn how to save a life,” said Davies. “CPR can be learned by most people in a four hour course.”
Red Cross CPR courses cover the skills needed to recognize and respond to cardiovascular emergencies and choking, and also include training on the use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). Those trained in AED use can assess a person in cardiac arrest, determine whether defibrillation (a shock to the heart to restore normal beating) should be performed, and use an AED unit to deliver a shock to the ill person’s heart if required. AED units can now be found in many public places including community centres and airports.
Learn more about CPR and test your knowledge for a chance to win a family first aid kit at www.redcross.ca/firstaid.
For information on first aid, CPR or Automated External Defibrillation (AED) courses visit www.redcross.ca or call 1-877-356-3226.
November is CPR Month – Get the Facts!
CPR – Fact Sheet
♥ A human heart will cease beating within zero to four minutes after breathing stops.
♥ Permanent brain damage can occur within four to six minutes after breathing stops.
♥ The survival rates of individuals suffering of cardiac arrest decrease approximately 7% to 10% every minute that defibrillation is delayed.
♥ The use of an Automated External Defibrillator, introduced into a community or workplace emergency system, can save the lives of 30% or more of those who suffer cardiac arrest.
♥ More than a third of Canadians who die each year succumb to coronary disease, which makes it the leading cause of death in Canada.
♥ In most Canadian cities, the average ambulance response time is eight to twelve minutes.
♥ In Ontario alone, approximately 6,500 people suffer cardiac arrest each year and very few who experience an arrest outside the hospital survive.
♥ Defibrillation within five minutes of suffering cardiac arrest will minimize the potential of brain damage, and ensure the best chance of survival.
♥ In 1997, AED training became part of a series of advanced Red Cross first aid courses. Since then, more than 2,000 people have been trained to use an AED by the Red Cross.
♥ The Canadian Red Cross trains over 260,000 Canadians in first aid and CPR each year, enabling them to prevent injuries and react appropriately in emergency situations.
Download this CPR – Fact Sheet.
