GJFD launches online CPR training video

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - The Grand Junction Fire Department has launched a new online video aimed at helping learn how to perform CPR.

The video was a collaboration between the Grand Junction Fire Department, St Mary’s Medical Center, Community Hospital, Family Health West, Grand Junction Police Department, and Grand Junction Regional Dispatch Center to raise awareness about the importance of everyone learning CPR as part of Heart Month.

“We put together a training you can do at home, about compression or hands-only CPR,” said Dirk Clingman, Community Outreach Specialist with the Grand Junction Fire Department. “We can’t possibly teach everyone in our community who needs to know it, which is everyone, so here’s an alternative to learn life-saving skills.

Clingman says people at home who know CPR can make a big difference when someone has a cardiac arrest while first responders are en route.

“At best, our emergency response to your home is about six to ten minutes. After four minutes of your heart not beating and your brain not receiving oxygen, you start to have brain damage occur. So the people at home are part of our emergency response,” stated Clingman.

The fire department says the hands-only CPR training is an effective, science-based way to save a life. According to the department, 70 to 80 percent of cardiac arrests happen at home, and knowing how to administer CPR can make a big difference when someone is fighting for their life.

You can find the CPR training videos on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com or https://www.gjcity.org.

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