Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation, better known as CPR, is a life-saving technique used when someone suffers from a cardiac arrest. This means that the heart stops beating unexpectedly, and could potentially lead to death. CPR is important in such situations as it restores the heart’s function and also the increases the chances of survival.
Although we’ve seen it plenty of times in the movies, mouth-to-mouth contact isn’t necessary! Our friends at Bring Back The Beat SG created a step-by-step video guide to hands-only CPR. Here’s how you can do it, too:
Step one: Call 995 for an ambulance. Stay on the line with the SCDF 995 call dispatcher who can provide you with guidance and CPR instructions if necessary, over the phone.
Step two: Check the casualty for responsiveness and breathing. You can tap the casualty’s shoulders firmly, ask “are you okay?” loudly, and observe the rise and fall of the chest, which indicates breathing. If the casualty is breathing, no CPR is required. If the casualty is not breathing, ensure that he/she is lying flat on the back before performing CPR.
Credit: Bring Back The Beat SG
Step three: Place your hands at the centre of the casualty’s chest, interlace your fingers together, and straighten both your elbows.
Credit: Bring Back The Beat SG
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive! Stayin’ alive!
It’s not just catchy lyric – this song could actually save someone’s life!
Step four: Using the heel of your palm, push hard and fast to the beat of ‘Staying Alive’. Perform 30 compressions and constantly recheck the casualty’s breathing. Continue until the ambulance crew arrives or when the casualty shows signs of life.
Credit: Bring Back The Beat SG
Remember, it’s better to break a rib than to lose a life! The risk of delaying CPR or not doing CPR is greater than the risk of a broken rib.
Check out Bring Back the Beat SG’s video here: