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CPR is easier than most people realize, Utah fire officials say, and it doesn’t require mouth-to-mouth contact

(Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune) West Valley City firefighter-paramedic Cody Kirkham demonstrates "hands-only CPR" on a practice dummy Wednesday Jan. 24. Most people who experience cardiac arrest at home, work, or in a public location die because they don’t receive immediate CPR from someone on the scene. That can be changed with hands-only CPR. The West Valley City Fire Department wants people to know that performing CPR is much easier than they realize and it does not require mouth-to-mouth contact. Hands-only CPR takes only two steps: call 911, then push hard and fast on the victim’s chest. Using a rhythm to the beat of the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive" works just right.

(Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune) West Valley City firefighter-paramedic Cody Kirkham demonstrates "hands-only CPR" on a practice dummy Wednesday Jan. 24. Most people who experience cardiac arrest at home, work, or in a public location die because they don’t receive immediate CPR from someone on the scene. That can be changed with hands-only CPR. The West Valley City Fire Department wants people to know that performing CPR is much easier than they realize and it does not require mouth-to-mouth contact. Hands-only CPR takes only two steps: call 911, then push hard and fast on the victim’s chest. Using a rhythm to the beat of the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive" works just right.

By https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/sltrib/b29ace56-7845-4109-8b6f-00754d4d0e35.png Stephen Hunt
 | Jan. 24, 2018, 2:19 p.m.
| Updated: 4:07 p.m.

Performing CPR is easier than most people realize — and it does not require mouth-to-mouth contact, according to West Valley City fire officials.

The fire department’s new “Hands-Only” CPR campaign emphasizes how important it is to learn this simple life-saving technique, which only employs chest compressions.

Nationally, bystanders start CPR about 40 percent of the time.

In Utah, the rate is much lower, about 20 percent, according to a Wednesday news release announcing the “Hands-Only” campaign, during which free classes will held.

For every minute that CPR is delayed, a victim’s chance of survival drops by 10 percent.

“If you wait even 5 minutes to start CPR, the chance of survival is cut in half!” the news release says.

“Most people who experience cardiac arrest at home, work or in a public location die because they don’t receive immediate CPR from someone on the scene,” the release says. “That can be changed with hands-only CPR.

“Hands-only CPR takes only two steps: Call 911, then push hard and fast on the victim’s chest.”

(Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune) West Valley City firefighter-paramedic Cody Kirkham demonstrates "hands-only CPR" on a practice dummy Wednesday Jan. 24, 2018. EMT-firefighter Dustin Moon, left, is ready to take over. Most people who experience cardiac arrest at home, work, or in a public location die because they don’t receive immediate CPR from someone on the scene. That can be changed with hands-only CPR. The West Valley City Fire Department wants people to know that performing CPR is much easier than they realize and it does not require mouth-to-mouth contact. Hands-only CPR takes only two steps: call 911, then push hard and fast on the victim’s chest. Using a rhythm to the beat of the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive" works just right.

The West Valley City Fire Department is offering free hands-only CPR classes on Feb. 15, March 29, April 19 and May 10.

To register for the classes or to find out more about the fire department’s Hands-Only CPR campaign, visit cpr.wvcfd.com.

To learn more about the benefits of hands-only CPR, as well as view video demonstrations, visit www.pushtosurvive.org.

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