SANTA BARBARA CO. - Emergency medical service agencies across Santa Barbara County offered free hands-only CPR training Tuesday afternoon.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death nationally and locally, with an estimated 630,000 deaths a year in the United States and more than 700 deaths a year in Santa Barbara County.
About 200 cardiac arrest victims are treated locally each year by the emergency medical services system.
Proper CPR more than doubles a cardiac arrest victim's chance of survival by helping maintain vital blood flow to the heart and brain.
"Most of the time, the public doesn't want to get involved when they see somebody go into cardiac arrest because they don't want to breathe for that person or put their mouth on that person, and hands-only CPR emphasizes pushing hard and pushing fast until the paramedics arrive," says Joey Serna, American Medical Response spokesperson.
AMR, Calstar, and all regional fire departments and hospitals took part in today's free training.
