Marin Sidewalk CPR Event Aims to Train 2000 Marin Residents
"Hands-Only CPR" can more than double chances of survival
GREENBRAE, CA — Sudden cardiac arrest kills nearly 400,000 people in the US each year. That’s why the Marin County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) community will host its fourth annual Sidewalk CPR event, “Don’t Miss a Beat,” on Saturday, June 8th at more than 20 locations throughout Marin. Paramedics, EMTs, park rangers, and personnel from local hospitals, fire departments, private ambulance companies, private CPR businesses, and the Marin Medical Reserve Corps will volunteer. They are hoping to train more than 2000 individuals in “Hands-Only CPR”, which, if initiated immediately during cardiac arrest, can more than double a person’s chances of survival.
“It just comes down to this: one “Hands Only” trained person can make a huge difference,” says Karrie Groves, RN, of Marin County EMS Agency.” “We want to create an army of trained bystanders ready to step in when needed.”
According to participants this event that has become a tradition and a community-building ritual. “It’s brought us together and demonstrated how much people care about their neighbors,” says Michael Feranchak, RN, Trauma & Paramedic Nurse Liaison at Marin General Hospital. “One year we even had people come out during a major rain storm.”
Even tourists can get into the act, with multi-language training available in some of Marin’s high traffic tourist attractions, including the Angel Island Ferry and Golden Gate Bridge Vista Point. “We’re really excited to have The Angel Island-Tiburon Ferry be a part of this year’s event,” says Ms. Groves. “With so many visitors going to the island each weekend, our instruction could have a great impact in the years to come!”
Other venues include Mill Valley Depot Plaza, Marin Country Mart, The Cheese Factory, Throckmorton Fire Station, Strawberry Village Shopping Center, Tiburon Ferry Plaza, Northgate Mall, Mi Pueblo Foods, Bon Air Shopping Center, Corte Madera Town Center, The Village, Novato Festival of Art, Wine and Music, Marin Gateway Shopping Center, Vintage Oaks Shopping Center, Woodacre Market, Toby’s Feed Barn and Tomales Bakery.
Hands-only CPR is a potentially lifesaving technique involving no mouth to mouth contact. 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 of medical settings, and is both easier to teach and more likely to be applied than traditional CPR that includes mouth to mouth.
The free “Don’t Miss a Beat” hands-only CPR training event takes place from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday, June 8th. Wallet-size instruction cards also will be handed out, courtesy of Marin General Hospital.
For more information or questions, please contact Karrie Groves, RN, BSN, Marin County EMS Agency, kgroves@marincounty.org, 1-415-473-3214.
