CPR saves lives

actually, not really, electricity and intravenous drugs save lives. BUT CPR does immeasurably increase the rate of success of said shocks and drips. and the Heimlich fo’ sho’ saves lives.

which is why i am now officially certified as a lay rescuer in infant, child and adult CPR, including conscious and unconscious choking.

my motives, of course, were not purely focused on the lady who drops out cold at the grocery store. you see, summer chokes. a lot. we have at least one emergency scare and three to five mild scares every day. thankfully, nothing has ever been lodged in her throat, but i decided to take action in case something ever is.

the boy scouts stole my mantra: be prepared.

for your trivial pleasure, here are some interesting facts about the new and improved CPR:

--DO NOT check the pulse of the victim. if they are not breathing normally, begin chest compressions. if they don’t need compressions, they will most definitely let you know.

--the rate of compressions is about 100 compressions per minute. this is the same rate as the beat in the bee gees song “staying alive.” coincidence? i think not.

--don’t worry about doing CPR incorrectly (i.e., doing 32 compressions instead of 30 at a rate of 97 instead of 100). researchers found that many “certified” individuals did not feel comfortable performing CPR in an emergency situation due to fear of making a mistake. remember, a person who is not breathing and has no heart beat is clinically dead. it’s only up from here.

check with your local hospital or fire department for class offerings.