WHEATON-GLENMONT, Md. — This week, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue is teaching people how to perform CPR and emphasizing the importance of doing it with confidence.
"When people go unconscious and unresponsive for different reasons, we don't know if they're not breathing; we don't need to know the circumstances. We simply need to start the skill," said Capt. Shantel Brown of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Department.
If performed immediately, CPR can double or triple the chance of survival before a person receives professional help, according to the American Heart Association.
However, it's a skill more challenging than it looks. Lt. Irv Smith with Montgomery County Fire and Rescue provided a brief walkthrough of what to do. First, he advises calling 911 if you're alone.
"Basically, you look at the nipple line, and it'll put you right in the proper location," he said.
If the person is wearing clothes, then it's about two inches under their armpit.
"The back of my hand is probably the most strongest and most durable. I can lock my arms out, interlock my fingers and just bring my weight."
Now, he says, perform 100 to 120 compressions a minute, which is at the beat of the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive."
But, what if you don't execute it perfectly in the field during a real emergency?
"What you're doing is something, and we keep emphasizing it's better than nothing," Lt. Irv Smith said.
A list of times, dates and locations where you can learn CPR are posted here.
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