IT ONLY TAKES TWO HANDS TO SAVE A LIFE

In conjunction with The Louis J. Acompora Memorial Foundation, Forest Brook Elementary School fifth graders were trained how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED) and in the use of hands-only CPR. The 80 students who participated in the CPR/AED training at Forest Brook Elementary School on June 3, 2015 also helped the American Heart Association break the Guinness World Record for CPR.

“Hands-only CPR is a potentially lifesaving technique involving no mouth-to-mouth contact,” described Principal Kristen Reingold. “It is best used in emergencies where someone has seen another person suddenly collapse. The hands-only technique increases the likelihood of surviving cardiac emergencies that occur outside medical settings.”

“An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a portable device that checks the heart rhythm and can send an electric shock to the heart to try to restore a normal rhythm. AEDs are used to treat sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), which is a condition in which the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating,” said Reingold.

CPR/AED Awareness Week was held nationwide from June 1 through 7, 2015. The American Heart Association and the American Red Cross encourage people to take CPR/AED training to learn how to respond should someone suffer cardiac arrest. “The ability to perform CPR and to know how to use an AED can make a lifesaving difference when someone suffers a cardiac or breathing emergency,” stated Reingold. “It could mean the difference between life and death for someone at school, in the community or in your own home. It only takes two hands to potentially save a life.”

The Louis J. Acompora Memorial Foundation was formed in memory of Louis J. Acompora, a young athlete who died suddenly as a result of sudden cardiac arrest during his first high school lacrosse game. Following this tragic loss, Louis’ parents began a campaign to raise awareness among schools and other public institutions about the importance of having automated external defibrillators (AED), a simple device that would have saved Louis’ life. The Louis J. Acompora Memorial Foundation was founded to ensure that similar tragedies are prevented. The Foundation is committed to improving sports safety, with a special focus on placing AEDs in all schools and youth athletic organizations.