Whether it was through health class or the hilarious “Stress Relief” episode of “The Office,” many people are familiar with how to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation, better known as CPR. However, more people could stand to learn this potentially life-saving skill in case they are thrust into an emergency situation.
Community members interested in learning CPR or brushing up on their first aid knowledge are invited to MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center’s free sidewalk CPR training event on June 6.
As part of Sidewalk CPR Week, observed June 1-7, the local hospital’s training will be open to people of all ages to learn hands-only CPR during cardiac arrest from nurses and paramedics, hear survivor stories and explore additional resources. The goal of this educational event is to improve Long Beach’s low bystander CPR rate by teaching hands-only CPR.
Hands-only CPR (compression-only) is an alternative option for those who are without conventional CPR training or are worried about the risk of disease transmission from mouth-to- mouth contact. Hands-only CPR helps keep the heart beating until emergency medical personnel arrive on the scene.
“Using hands-only CPR has been proven to be just as effective as conventional CPR as long as the compression pace and strength of the compression is correct,” said Dr. Hoang in a public statement. “An easy way to remember how to get enough compressions is to perform hands-only CPR to the beat of ‘Stayin’ Alive’ or any other song with a tempo of 100 to 120 beats per minute.”
According to data from the Emergency Medical Services Agency in 2023, only 33-34% of cardiac arrest victims in Los Angeles County received CPR from a bystander. At Long Beach Medical Center, 141 cases of cardiac arrest patients were treated between July 2023 and June 2024, with only 40% receiving bystander CPR before arriving at the hospital, according to MemorialCare.
“These figures are alarming, as prompt CPR can significantly improve the chances of survival for cardiac arrest victims,” said Khiet Hoang, M.D., medical director of Emergency Cardiac Services within the MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Long Beach Medical Center, in a public statement. “Seventy percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home, so the person who will need CPR will very likely be someone you know. Our community is facing a critical challenge with these low rates of bystander CPR, which underscores the critical need for community engagement and training in CPR procedures.”
According to a 2018 study by the American Heart Association, 45% of men received bystander CPR compared with 39% of women, with men having 23% higher odds of survival than women. Long Beach Medical Center is looking to ensure more people become comfortable with giving CPR to women in necessary situations.
“The discrepancy between men and women receiving life-saving CPR is distressing and causing us to lose more women to heart disease – this needs to change,” said Nissi Suppogu, M.D., medical director of the Women’s Heart Center within the MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Long Beach Medical Center, in a public statement. “We want to increase awareness and training on cardiac events in women to decrease the fear of intervening and ensure CPR is given to women experiencing cardiac arrest.”
MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center’s free CPR training will take place Friday, June 6 at LBX (4150 McGowen St.) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
