CPR saves lives: Experts say, the biggest mistake you can make, is doing nothing



CPR saves lives.  In fact, according to the American Heart Association, CPR performed in the first few minutes of a Sudden Cardiac Arrest, can double or even triple a person's chance of survival.   Sudden Cardiac Arrest, or SCA is an electrical malfunction in the heart that causes an irregular heartbeat.  It can disrupt the blood flow to the brain, lungs and other organs.   The AHA says 90% of people who suffer out-of-hospital SCA die.

Suzi Crickmore, a certified CPR instructor in the Pacific Northwest says the biggest mistake people make when witnessing SCA, is doing nothing.  That's why knowing what it looks like, sounds like, and understanding how to perform CPR is so important.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest can happen instantly, and often without warning in a person who may or may not have been diagnosed with heart disease.

According to the American Heart Association, here are the signs of Sudden Cardiac Arrest:


    If you suspect someone is suffering from cardiac arrest:


      To find a CPR training center near you, or to learn more about CPR, click here:

      http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/CPRAndECC/CPR_UCM_001118_SubHomePage.jsp

      For guidelines for CPR on children and babies, click here:

      https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/cpr/performing-cpr/child-baby-cpr

      It's important to note Washington State's "Good Samaritan Law" which protects people and gives them immunity from liability for certain types of medial care.   In short, it states, you won't be held liable if you perform CPR on a stranger, regardless of the outcome.

      Here is the law for Good Samaritan Statutes:

      https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/2900/goodsam.pdf