Saving the life of someone in cardiac arrest could be as simple as learning 2 steps

(WKBN) – This past week was CPR Week, when the American Heart Association focuses on how important the technique is to learn.

There are roughly 350,000 cardiac arrests every year in the U.S. About 70% of cardiac arrests happen outside of a hospital and very likely at home with someone you love.

“We do need as many people as possible to know how to save a life and know how to do hands-only CPR in time for paramedics to show up and take over for you,” said Valerie Weber, with the American Heart Association.

Hands-on CPR, also known as by-standard CPR, is a skill anyone can learn. By learning just two easy steps, you could help save someone’s life.

Emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere.

“You see a teen or an adult suddenly collapse, you want to approach them. Just tap them, ‘Are you OK? Are you OK?’ If they do not respond or if they are unconscious, you want to call 911 immediately or have someone on the scene call 911, and the second step is to start hands-only CPR,” Weber said.

She said you want to press hard and fast in the center of the chest to about 100 to 120 beats per minute. There’s a certain song you should be humming in your head to help you keep the beat — “Staying Alive.”

CPR helps to keep the blood flowing throughout the body to keep the tissues and the brain alive.