As some of you know, I’m studying for a personal training certification (yep, big, BIG career change). For any of the major certifications, you can’t even get your test results back unless you are CPR certified. I knew CPR, but it had been a while (probably 6 or 7 years), and I never actually got a “certified” card.
This past Saturday I took the American Heart Association’s Heartsaver First Aid/CPR/AED class. It’s an all day affair, but it was very straighforward and do-able. They have changed - simplified, really - the rules for CPR: 2 breaths, 30 chest compressions.
If you don’t know CPR… just know this: anyone can learn it, and anyone can do it. Go take a class; some are as short as an hour! You can even learn at home on your own schedule (less than 30 bucks and about 25 minutes) with a CPR Anytime course. In any case - just do it. You never know when you might be able to help.
To find classes in your area, try the American Heart Association’s CPR class websearch.
March 17th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
It rather belatedly occurs to me that we now, at long last, have official evidence that Amy really is certifiable.
March 18th, 2007 at 8:14 am
Wow, that sure took you a while… good thing I wasn’t holding my breath!
March 18th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
Any chance I can claim I was just trying to be nice by not taking the easy shot? No?
Uh, maybe I just wanted to give someone else the chance? No, that’s not gonna work either, is it?
*sigh* This is what happens when my audience knows me too well. It looks like my only option is the truth. (Don’t you just hate it when that happens?)
All I can figure is that what with you being on the other coast and all, I’m just out of practice at teasing you!
I’m really sorry about that and I’ll try to do better in the future. The next time you leave yourself open for a wisecrack, I’ll sincerely try to tease you about it in a more timely manner.
Again, please accept my most sincere apologies.
As far as holding your breath though, a recent New York Times article suggests that the compressions are more important than the breathing anyhow.
March 20th, 2007 at 7:43 pm
That’s more like it… I’ll expect better teasing in the future.
Yes, I had seen that article. That particular article (I’ve seen several, especially lately) didn’t mention though, that breaths are still recommended for infants and children, as their problems are overall more likely to be caused by a pulmonary issue than by a cardiac issue. But otherwise - jump in if you can, people!