“The American Heart Association and some hospitals are pushing to make lifesaving techniques easier and more convenient to learn. Choking kills about 5,000 Americans annually, while about 450,000 Americans die of cardiac arrest, mostly at home, work or in public rather than at a hospital. For both types of emergency, bystander help can be the difference between life and death.”

Hershey’s Mill Sports Group has been providing CPR/AED/Choking classes for several years at reduced rates to residents of Hershey’s Mill and we will continue to do so. Classes are normally held at the Community Centre.

1. What is CPR? Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a life-saving technique that helps maintain blood flow to the brain and heart in an emergency situation. It is a combination of chest compressions (pushing up and down on the chest) and rescue breaths. You are basically taking over the role of the heart and lungs by pumping blood and oxygen into the body.
2. Why is CPR important? It can save your life, your children’s lives, your partner’s life or, a stranger’s life. Getting trained is easily accessible to anyone who wants it and is not hard to complete.
3. Choking occurs when a foreign object lodges in the throat or windpipe blocking the flow of oxygen to the brain. Have you ever been in a restaurant and witnessed someone choking and wondered how you could help them?

According to Injury Facts 2017, choking is the fourth leading cause of unintentional injury death. Of the 5,051 people who died from choking in 2015, 2,848 were older than 74. Food is often responsible for choking incidents in the elderly. Sobering information isn’t it?

Why is training for a choking emergency important? It is a lifesaving technique for your family, friends or a stranger and easy to learn.

What is an AED and what does it stand for?  Automated external defibrillator (AED) is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the life threatening heartbeat (or lack of) and can, by application of electricity, correct it.

This sounds a bit complicated doesn’t it? Actually, it is quite simple and the training we provide will enable you to use it with ease.

If you are in a public facility, airport, train/bus station you will see the sign for an AED posted for public or staff awareness. Using this device is an integral component of CPR.