CPR: Buying precious time when lives are on the line

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - In a situation like the one we saw when Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin collapsed after making a tackle on Monday Night Football, seconds can be the difference between life and death.

Medical crews performed CPR on Hamlin on the field until an ambulance arrived to take him to the hospital, the procedure buying much-needed time for the NFL safety.

“Within 10 seconds of the person collapsing on the ground. Going unresponsive, you’re not able to wake them up, they’re not breathing normal. We want to start compressions immediately at that time,” Jeriami St. Clair, owner of Lubbock CPR, said.

CPR keeps vital bodily functions going until help arrives or until you can get that person to the hospital.

“Keeping blood flow moving, keeping oxygen going to the vital organs, the brain, so allowing time to get to the hospital,” Jeriami said.

Kenzie St. Clair another owner and instructor at Lubbock CPR Says there are three things you need to do if you’re in a situation where someone becomes unresponsive.

“You want to check the person. You want to call for help, and you want to provide care as necessary,” Kenzie said. “After that, you want to start compressions. You want to take your body, position it over the victim on the ground, take your hands, cross them...right in the center of the chest. Use your body for leverage and push hard and fast.”

Kenzie says to perform 30 compressions, and if you’re comfortable, Kenzie says you can supplement with two breaths.

“What that would look like is 30 compressions followed by two breaths,” Kenzie said. “Tilt the head back, pinch the nose and deliver two small puffs of air.”

An automated external defibrillator or A.E.D. can help walk you through the CPR process.

A certification isn’t required to perform CPR, but they are not hard to come by.

You can sign up for in-person or blended classes at Lubbock CPR.

The in-person class only takes a few hours while the blended class is self-paced.

“If you know what to do then you don’t feel so helpless if a situation does arise,” Jeriami said. “It kinda helps that you were able to something, whether the outcome is good or bad.”

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