By Anastassia Roberts, Communications intern

Imagine you are at your local gym, fitting in an evening workout. You notice your friend is here, too, running on the treadmill. When she finishes her workout, she is visibly pale, dizzy and experiencing shortness of breath. Before you even get the opportunity to ask if she is okay, she collapses on the floor. What do you do? If you don’t have an answer to this question, it is a sign you are not prepared in the case of an emergency.

Accidents can happen anytime and anywhere, which is why it is crucial to be prepared and learn how to be the help until help arrives. According to the American Red Cross, a person experiencing cardiac arrest loses 10% of their chance for survival each minute that defibrillation is delayed, and when bystanders take action, CPR can double or triple the chance of survival. While it is important to call 911 or another emergency services number in situations like these, it is not always enough to keep the person alive, as the minutes leading up to their arrival are critical.

With Red Cross CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) training, you will be prepared with the skills and confidence to act in an emergency. Before attending CPR training, I had never thought about what I would do if someone went into cardiac arrest in front of me. While I assumed the correct first response would be to begin CPR, it turns out to be the final step. As I have learned, it is important to follow three steps in order: check, call and care. The first step is to check the situation to ensure the scene is safe to enter, looking for potential life-threatening hazards. Then, you should perform a check-in with the person to see if they are responsive, consenting to help and able to disclose any symptoms, allergies or medical conditions. Next, you should prioritize calling 911. If someone is near, direct your focus and tell them specifically to call 911 and to get an automated external defibrillator (AED) if one is available. If no one is near, you should call 911 yourself before proceeding to the care step. Finally, you can begin CPR.

When somebody is in cardiac arrest, their heart either beats ineffectively for proper blood circulation or it stops beating altogether. By rotating between cycles of chest compressions and rescue breaths in CPR, you can help maintain oxygen flow and blood circulation before emergency responders arrive to take over.

During training class, volunteer instructor Jack Cater emphasized the importance of proper compression depth and speed, and standard rotation between compressions and rescue breaths. For adults, compressions should be at least two inches deep and should be done at a rate of 100-120 per minute. It is important that each set should be 30 compressions and two rescue breaths, unless an AED becomes available, emergency responders arrive or you are too tired to continue.

While the online portion of this CPR training covers important information you need to know, to receive certification, you are required to attend an in-person training portion to practice and demonstrate skills learned. During training, Cater paired each person up with a partner to practice roleplaying an emergency cardiac arrest situation. For the Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED course I selected, I was provided with an adult mannequin, an infant mannequin, a plastic mouth barrier, gloves and an AED kit. While I thought the online training had prepared me for this moment, I was wrong. It took practice to properly administer compressions, perform rescue breaths, use an AED, and follow each step in the correct order.

Now, I feel prepared to act with skills and confidence in the face of an emergency. Red Cross CPR training is digestible, understandable, and effective. Every second counts, so I encourage you to prepare yourself with the training you need so that you, too, will be prepared to help save a life.

Learn more about training courses the Red Cross offers at redcross.org/takeaclass.