Do it for your family . . .

I have mentioned on several occasions that I am a certified American Red Cross trainer. I keep all our staff current on their First Aid and Adult, Infant and Child CPR certifications. Every time I am getting ready to certify a large group I get all anxious about people knowing their stuff.

If I choked in a restaurant will someone know what to do? The new procedures are not just the Heimlich Maneuver, but include some well placed and orchestrated back blows also. They determined it was far more effective and fewer people pass out before dislodging the object with the back blows.

If I am shopping for groceries at Meijer and go unconscious will someone know how to check for "signs of life" and do CPR on me if necessary? Do you know that you no longer have to check an adult for a pulse? Rescue breathing no longer exists for adults. The Red Cross and the American Heart Association now say that when an adult goes unconscious and there are no "signs of life", movement, breathing, or chest rising, then you have to immediately start CPR.

Did you know that CPR is now the same for infants, children and adults, with the exception of the depth of compressions? The cycles are 30 compression to 2 breaths. You should be able to complete 5 cycles in 2 minutes. That is a pretty good clip. They changed this several years ago streamlining it for all ages groups in order to allow people to remember and feel as though they could actually use it instead of wondering what those numbers were.

Did you know when you do CPR you are probably gonna break a rib? Or several. Don't freak out, I'd rather have 8 broken ribs and be breathing than be dead becuase you didn't want to hurt me.

Did you know that if you are not willing or able to give the breaths in between compressions that the Red Cross says doing the compressions is better than nothing? Yep. Someone is bloody and you do not have a breathing barrier, or you are pregnant and unable to bend over to give breaths, or you are asthmatic and continuing to breath will put your health at risk, just do the compressions until help arrives. It better than freaking out and doing nothing.

Did you know my biggest pet peeve is seeing CPR on television and seeing people bend their elbows?

Go take a class. Schedule it right now . . . You're family will thank you. Your neighbors will thank you and so will I if you see me at Meijer on the floor and you know what to do . . . .