by More than 200 individuals were taught hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation by a team of first responders on Wednesday at Moonlight State Beach in Encinitas.
Over half a million San Diegans have received hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training since the program’s debut last year, marking a significant milestone for the collaborative county and academic program.
One million San Diegans are to be trained in CPR, and in the upcoming week, there will be two additional chances to learn the life-saving technique:
- Saturday El Camino Country Club, with the US Tennis Association, led by Oceanside Fire and Tri-City Hospital, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Tuesday Serra Mesa-Kearny Mesa Branch Library, led by San Diego Project Heart Beat and San Diego Fire Rescue, 1-2 p.m.
522,364 San Diegans have received training via Revive & Survive San Diego, a public health program run by San Diego County Emergency Medical Services and the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science at UC San Diego.
According to Cheryl A.M. Anderson, dean of the Wertheim School and co-lead of Revive & Survive, this accomplishment demonstrates the potential of public health to bring people together, save lives, and foster a culture of readiness.
In partnership with over 35 community partners, the initiative has conducted 13,749 training sessions at schools, businesses, shopping malls, movie theaters, and parks since it started in January 2024.
The low survival rates for people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital are the direct cause of the public health initiative. According to a Revive & Survive statement, just 8.2% of heart attack victims were revived and survived the incident in 2021.
One was Gideon Wiseman. While watching television with his wife and little son seated on the couch next him, Wiseman suffered a sudden heart arrest at the age of 48. His wife started CPR and dialed 911 right away.
For more than 30 minutes, my heart was halted. But, he said at the ceremony on Wednesday, “my brain stayed alive because of the CPR she gave me and then the paramedics from Encinitas Fire Station 1.” Without that, my brain would not have functioned, even if I had survived physically.
Quickly learn how to perform CPR.
The speed and simplicity of learning hands-only CPR at Moonlight Beach were shown by first responders from AMR San Diego, Carlsbad Fire Department, San Dieguito EMS District, Encinitas Fire Department, San Diego County Fire, Solana Beach Marine Safety, and UCSD.
According to an initiative statement, performing CPR with just your hands rather than the standard breaths and compressions has been as successful. Calling 911 to get assistance is the first step. After that, quickly and forcefully squeeze a bare chest at 100 to 120 beats per minute.
The difference between life and death can be determined by these actions. A person experiencing cardiac arrest has a 7–10% lower probability of survival for every minute they are not receiving CPR.
Get neighborhood news in your inbox. It’s free and enlightening.
Become one of the 20,000+ individuals who receive breaking news alerts and the Times of San Diego in their inbox every day at 8 a.m.
Weekly updates from San Diego communities have also been provided! You acknowledge and agree to the terms by clicking “Sign Up.” Choose from the options below.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, heart disease is the top cause of death in the United States, accounting for just under 700,000 fatalities annually. Every year, more than 350,000 people die from sudden cardiac arrest.
According to Dr. Kristi Koenig, the county EMS medical director and co-lead of Revive & Survive, brain death can happen in as little as four to six minutes if a person’s heart stops beating without CPR. There is typically no doctor nearby during the crucial first few minutes.
Because of this, it is crucial that everyone learn CPR.
