Written by: Julie Murphy, PIO, MPIO
Public Affairs Specialist
PIO | Publications
Can’t make a first Saturday of the month CPR class? No worries. Flagler County Fire Rescue is adding extra classes to its calendar.
The next five classes – first and third Saturdays – will be held on the following dates:
- October 17
- November 7
- November 21
- December 5
- December 19
To register, go to https://www.flaglercounty.gov/County-Services/Public-Safety/Flagler-County-Fire-Rescue/CPR-Certification-Training or emailCPRtraining@FlaglerCounty.gov.
“There has been a demand for both the American Health Association Basic Life Support (AHA BLS) certification and the Hands-Only CPR classes,” said Fire Rescue Chief Michael Tucker. “We added classes to the schedule in recognition of this need.”
CPR is a good thing to know. And, “whether you’re a brother or whether you’re a mother” – the Bee Gees song “Stayin’ Alive” – is precisely the right rhythm for performing CPR, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the emergency procedure that can help save a life when breathing or the heart stops.
“The bottom line is that if a person has no pulse, doing something is better than doing nothing,” said Community Paramedic Tracy Farmer. “If you aren’t comfortable doing breaths, then do the compressions.”
The purpose of CPR is to assist people during cardiac arrest, when the heart stops beating or is ineffective in circulating blood to the brain and other vital organs. The American Red Cross has changed its guidance over the years. Typically, CPR has included a combination of chest compressions to mimic a beating heart and breaths to provide oxygen. It now has been determined that compressions can be effective without breaths. The recommended “Stayin’ Alive” rate is 100 to 120 compressions a minute.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) encourages getting some education about CPR as preparation is key. According to its website, CPR can double or triple the chance of survival if it is performed in the first few minutes of cardiac arrest.
“You don’t need a special certification or formal training to perform CPR, but you do need education,” its website states. “If cardiac arrest happens to someone near you, don’t be afraid – just be prepared!
