By Aaron Falk

| The Salt Lake Tribune

South Jordan • Salvador Gutierrez fell to his knees.

The 72-year-old southern Utah man was playing soccer with his family in Daybreak last September when dizziness overtook him and he stopped to catch his breath.

At a glance

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HeartsaverCPR/AED Class

Next class » Scheduled for Jan. 31

Location » Fire Station 62, 4022 W. South Jordan Parkway

Start time » 6 p.m.

More information » Call 801-254-0948

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When he collapsed onto the ground, his family ran for help.

Ten days later, Gutierrez was released from the hospital, thanks in large part to a South Jordan man and a city’s efforts to combat sudden cardiac arrest.

"It’s the No. 1 cause of death in the United States," South Jordan Fire Battalion Chief Reed Thompson said. "With every minute that goes by and compressions and defibrillation aren’t offered, the potential for survival goes down about 10 percent."

To that end, the city has mounted a number of efforts, including requiring certain businesses to have easy-to-use defibrillators on site and offering free CPR training to those who live or work within the city.

The course at South Jordan’s Fire Station 62, near 10400 South and 4000 West, are offered about three times every month. The fire department also holds special training sessions, by request, for groups.

Travis Lawrence signed up for one of those classes with his young children in mind.

In September, someone knocked on his door and asked if he knew CPR and could help.

Lawrence rushed to the park across from his home where Gutierrez had succumbed and began chest compressions on the man, Thompson said. A moment later, an off-duty Unified Police detective walking in the park stopped and began providing rescue breaths.

Roughly 300,000 people in the United States suffer cardiac arrest out of a hospital each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nationally, the survival rate for someone who suffers sudden cardiac arrest is between 5 percent and 7 percent, South Jordan officials said. In South Jordan, about 80 percent of sudden cardiac arrest victims received lay care compared with the 31 percent who receive care before an ambulance arrives nationwide.

It took 22 minutes from the time 911 was called until Gutierrez arrived at Jordan Valley Medical Center, Thompson said.

"There’s generally a four- to five-minute window before an ambulance arrives," Thompson said. "Without aid, their odds of surviving are greatly decreased. Those are critical minutes. It certainly had a positive outcome in this case."

Last week, South Jordan leaders honored Lawrence and UPD Lt. Jason Johnson for the aide they provided Gutierrez.

Thompson said it was the fourth time in a six-month period a sudden cardiac arrest victim in the city had been saved thanks, in part at least, to bystanders’ efforts.

Anyone interested in signing up for a the free CPR course can do so online at www.southjordanfire.com or by calling 801-254-0948.

The next class is scheduled for Jan. 31 at 6 p.m.