With many rural areas of Alaska miles away from the nearest hospital, CPR — short for cardiopulmonary resuscitation — or chest compressions can be critical in saving a life.
The Girdwood Fire Department used a demonstration Sunday to highlight the effectiveness of CPR and offered tips and guidance for individuals who might need to use it.
“Bystander CPR has been shown through numerous studies and cases across the nation to drastically improve the chances of survival,” Basic Life Support provider Stuart Parry said. “In Girdwood, we are often away from definitive care. So it is really important that we have that bystander CPR to start things off.”
With the drive from Girdwood to Anchorage taking anywhere from 40 minutes or more, based on conditions, the time to act quickly is even more imperative, even if the person doing CPR isn’t confident in their abilities.