June 17-23 is CPR Week

The Heart Foundation of Jamaica (HFJ) will be observing Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Awareness week from June 17 to 23 under the theme ‘Every Second Counts: CPR Saves Lives!.

Activities get under way with a live CPR demonstration at the ‘Everyone’s a Winner’ Father’s Day race at Hope Gardens, St. Andrew, on Sunday.

CPR demonstrations will continue at Emancipation Park on Monday (June 18) between 4:00 and 6:30 p.m. and a Family and Friends CPR training day will be held at the HFJ’s Beechwood Avenue office on Saturday, June 23 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Speaking at a JIS Think Tank on Wednesday (June 13), CPR Coordinator at the HFJ, Alonzo Mothersill, informed that the training will cost $1,500.

“The certification usually costs $5,400, but, on CPR Day, our Family and Friends CPR course is discounted for all non-medical personnel and students,” he said.

He is encouraging all individuals to take an interest in acquiring CPR skills for the benefit of family members and colleagues, who may, at some point, require such assistance.

CPR is a lifesaving technique that helps to support and maintain breathing and circulation in an individual, through administering chest compressions and rescue breaths.

The technique becomes necessary in cases where an individual has suffered a heart attack, has collected water in his lungs (near drowning) or has stopped breathing or the heart has stopped for any other reason.

Effective bystander CPR provided immediately after sudden cardiac arrest can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival.