ALMH Offers Public CPR Training

[May 20, 2014]  LINCOLN - In celebration of the 2014 National CPR and AED Awareness Week held June 1 – 7, Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital is offering two public CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) trainings on Saturday, June 7, 2014.

According to the American Heart Association, 88 percent of cardiac arrests occur at home. And sadly, 70 percent of Americans my feel helpless to act during a cardiac emergency because they either do not know how to administer CPR or their training has significantly lapsed. Effective bystander CPR that is provided immediately after sudden cardiac arrest can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival.

“CPR training has recently been requested by community members and we recognize that it is an important life saving skill. We feel that providing the opportunity for CPR training is part of our responsibility to the community. And if it is well received, we will explore additional offerings,” said Dolan Dalpoas, president and CEO of ALMH.

Two classes will be held on June 7. The first training will be held from 8am – 12pm and is for healthcare providers. The training will be an in-depth training on compressions, breathing and use of an AED (automated external defibrillator). There will be a $20 fee charged for the class to cover some of the costs to provide each participant with the training, a workbook and an American Heart Association certification card. The second training will be held on June 7 from 1pm – 3pm and is providing training for family and friends. This training will teach the participants what to do in the case of an emergency, focusing on appropriate compressions until help can arrive. A $5 fee will cover some of the class costs. No certification cards are provided to participants of the friends and family course.

ALMH is an American Heart Association authorized training center. All classes will be held at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Steinfort A/B and are open to the public. Interested individuals should contact 217-605-5700 to register for a class. Limited spots are available.

[Text received; ANGELA STOLTZENBURG, ABRAHAM LINCOLN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL]