The most famous phone number in the US... 911. We were taught to memorize the number when we were younger and we teach our kids the same. If you ever need police, the fire department or medical attention, just dial 9-1-1. But how long will they take to arrive?
Although EMTs and Paramedics try to reach victims quickly using lights and sirens, it can often take a long time for the ambulance to arrive. The average ambulance response time to a life threatening emergency can be up to 10 minutes. 10 minutes! That's a long time when your friend or family member is not breathing or choking. Statistically, you are 70% more likely to perform CPR on someone at home rather than outside of the home. It's likely to be someone you love.
When someone goes into cardiac arrest - a condition where the heart suddenly stops beating - they become unresponsive and stop breathing normally. Each passing minute without care results in a 7-10% plunge in survival, according to the American Heart Association. That's 10% per minute. If it takes 10 minutes for an ambulance to show up and no one has helped the patient in the meantime, that victim will probably not survive.
Early CPR from bystanders can triple a person's chance at survival and keep that person alive until the ambulance arrives and takes over.
Empower yourself with real knowledge on how to respond to an emergency by taking a CPR Class.
