Why Learn CPR?

TOP THREE REASONS To Learn CPR

Cardiovascular disease is very common -- it's the #1 killer in US and in Oklahoma.

Heart attacks can happen suddenly, especially of you an your family have one or more risk factors (family history, overweight, poor diet, smoking, etc).

Most medical emergencies occur in a person's home or other place of recreation.

You can't count on medical personnel to be nearby when you have an emergency, because chances are greater for sudden cardiac arrest to occur at home. If your family and friends don't know CPR, life can be lost in mere minutes while waiting for help to arrive.

CPR buys time for the victim.

Once the heart stops beating, brain death can occur in 4 to 6 minutes. Performing CPR provides oxygen to the brain and other vital organs to give the victim the best chance of full recovery after EMS takes over. If immediate CPR is given and a defibrillator is used within the first few minutes following sudden cardiac arrest, the person's chance of survival doubles.

TOP three most common excuses

No time

Citizen CPR can schedule a custom classes to match your timeframe, in as little as a two-hour window.

No money

Citizen CPR classes are affordable when compared to other CPR training courses. We encourage you to shop arround. We also offer FREE (non-certified) options throughout the year, including free classes every Saturday in June.

No access

Citizen CPR classes can come to your group's meeting place if you schedule a custom class with a minimum of six people. If you don't have a set meeting place, we can come to your church, office or a library meeting room.

Still not convinced?

Here are some other reasons people give for not learning CPR, and our answers:

Nobody in my family has a weak heart.

Heart attacks are not the only time to use CPR. There is also a stroke, accidents such as electrocution, overdose of alcohol or drugs, insulin shock in diabetics, drowning, choking, suffocation, allergic reaction and trauma from injuries. There are a huge variety of situations that could happen suddenly without medical personnel around.

I don't want to get sued if I perform CPR and the victim doesn't live.

There has been no known instance in which a layperson who performed CPR has been sued successfully. 'Good Samaritan' laws in most states specifically protect people performing CPR 'in good faith.' Under this legislation, laypeople are protected if they perform CPR even if they have had no formal training.

I'm worried about getting AIDS during CPR.

The probability that a rescuer will become infected with AIDS as a result of performing CPR is minimal. There have been no cases to date of transmission of AIDS during mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. If you are still concerned, there are face masks and shields available that you can place over the victim's mouth to provide a physical barrier during mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Some of these are small enough to be carried on your keychain.

I don't want to give mouth-to-mouth to a stranger.

Chances are greater that you'll need to know CPR for someone you know. About 70-80% of respiratory and cardiac arrests occur in the home. Since you're more likely to perform CPR on a friend or relative, it becomes all the more important to know how!

Don't wait another day! Take a CPR Class!