Know the steps to save your loved one in cardiac arrest

It can happen suddenly, without warning – and knowing what to do if your loved one experiences cardiac arrest can have a large impact on their survival.

*South County firefighters perform CPR during a training exercise. Photo: South County Fire*

“Cardiac arrest happens because of an electrical failure in the heart,” said South County Fire Battalion Chief of EMS Deanna Herbert. “The heart is unable to pump blood to the brain, lungs and other organs, which causes the person to lose consciousness and a pulse. Starting CPR quickly is critically important.”

A person experiencing cardiac arrest may suddenly collapse and be unresponsive. They could stop breathing or gasp for air. South County firefighters respond to a cardiac arrest approximately once every 36 hours. But the moments before firefighters arrive may count the most.

“We know that if a bystander steps in to start CPR, they can double or triple someone’s chances of surviving cardiac arrest,” Herbert said. “It is a life-saving skill that anyone can learn.”

South County Fire’s cardiac arrest survival rate is nearly double the national average. It’s an achievement made possible with the help of community members who stepped in to act.

Free hands-only CPR training is available through South County Fire’s one-hour online ACT class. The program also teaches automated external defibrillator (AED) use, tourniquet use for severe bleeding control and Narcan administration for an opiate overdose. Sign up or request a presentation for your group or business in English or Spanish at southsnofire.org/ACT.

Cardiac arrest can sometimes be caused by a heart attack. Possible warning signs of a heart attack include chest pain, discomfort in other parts of the body, shortness of breath, cold sweats, feeling very tired and feeling sick to the stomach.

If someone near you suddenly collapses and is not breathing, here’s what to do:

Call 911.
Ask someone else to find an AED.
Get the person on the floor or ground and begin chest compressions by pushing hard and fast in the center of the chest.
Use an AED, if available, by having someone else turn it on and follow the prompts. Do not stop CPR until prompted.
Perform CPR until first responders arrive and tell you to stop.

February is American Heart Month. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.

South County Fire provides fire and emergency medical services to nearly 300,000 residents of Brier, Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mill Creek, Mountlake Terrace and unincorporated southwest Snohomish County.

Source: South County Fire