CPR training for students : creating heroes among us

Kyle Steven Costa, California State University, Monterey Bay

Capstone Project (B.A.) Liberal Studies Department

Abstract

In the United States there is high number of people who have died from cardiac arrest. However, most of these deaths can be prevented if people know how to react. Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any time. Most commonly, these incidents occur in the victim’s home surrounded by loved ones. Through interviews with trained first responders, the chances of saving the victim improve greatly when they arrive on the scene and a civilian is preforming CPR. The goal of this project is to reach a younger group of people so they will be equipped to respond in an emergency for the majority of their lives. The state of California, currently, does not require class time be used to teach CPR in their high schools. To reach the younger members of society, a CPR and First Aid course was organized at a local high school to teach students the necessary skills and how to respond in an emergency. This project is going to show that anyone may be called on to save the life of a family member, friend of stranger and they should be ready to help.