On Friday, June 6, in celebration of CPR & AED Awareness Week, MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center in partnership with the Long Beach Fire Department (LBFD), welcomed residents of all ages to a free, interactive CPR training event at the Long Beach Exchange. At Long Beach Medical Center, 141 cases of cardiac arrest patients were treated between July 2023 and June 2024 – but only 40% received bystander CPR before arriving at the hospital. This annual “Sidewalk CPR” event provided critical education to the community, empowering them to act confidently in a cardiac emergency and transform bystanders into lifesavers in just minutes.
“The fact that 60% of people that came to us didn’t get bystander CPR is alarming,” says Khiet Hoang, M.D., medical director, emergency cardiac services, MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute, Long Beach Medical Center. “That’s why events like ‘Sidewalk CPR’ are so important. We need to educate and empower our community to help one another in time of crisis and not shy away out of fear or the unknown. As a community, I know Long Beach sticks together, and this is another way we can be there for one another. Research shows that administering hands-only CPR can double or even triple the chances of survival for cardiac arrest victims.”
During the event, multiple training stations were set up where MemorialCare nurses and Long Beach firefighters demonstrated hands-only CPR techniques using mannequins of various sizes and anatomies, including male, female, and infant. To reduce fear, it’s important to learn on each body size and type, so the community feels confident to help anyone who needs it…