Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus with students who participated in the CPR training on Aug. 3. Photo provided by Orange County.
Orange County’s Office of Emergency Management and Youth Bureau hosted 32 students from throughout the county on Thursday, Aug. 3, for free Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training at the Emergency Services Center.
Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus visited the class and thanked the students for taking the day-long training.
“Our goal is to have as many people trained in CPR as possible so we can improve survival rates for cardiac arrests that occur outside of hospitals,” Neuhaus said. “I want to thank the students for taking this class, which I’m sure will benefit them greatly. We urge all people in Orange County to become CPR trained, as receiving CPR can vastly improve a person’s chances of survival should they have a cardiac event.”
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is a life-saving procedure that is considered critical first aid for people who are having cardiac arrest or shortness of breath. A cardiac arrest can cause brain damage within minutes. CPR is crucial as soon as possible to avoid brain damage and potentially save a life.
Every year, more than 350,000 instances of cardiac arrest occur outside U.S. hospitals, according to the American Heart Association. These medical emergencies can occur anywhere from private homes and businesses to public institutions, and even while commuting via car, bus, or train. According to the latest statistics released by the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, only 10 percent of these people survive.
The instructors also taught students how to recognize the onset of stroke, control bleeding, administer naloxone (when an opioid overdose is suspected) and epinephrine for an individual suffering an extreme allergic reaction.
For more information about CPR training, contact Frank Cassanite at 845-615-0467 or fcassanite@orangecountygov.com.