Hands-only CPR training kiosk debuts in Santa Monica, aiming to turn bystanders into lifesavers

A new interactive kiosk that teaches hands-only CPR in five minutes was unveiled last week at Providence Saint John’s Health Center, marking the launch of a mobile program that will travel to multiple Los Angeles County locations over the next three years.

Developed by the American Heart Association and sponsored by Providence Saint John’s, the mobile kiosk allows users to learn and test their CPR skills with real-time feedback using a practice manikin. It is part of a nationwide campaign to build what organizers call a “Nation of Lifesavers” and to double survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests by 2030.

Emily Enos, executive director of the Heart and Vascular Institute at Providence Saint John’s, opened the event by welcoming visitors and emphasizing the urgency of training more people in CPR.

“We’re so thrilled that you’re all here today to help us celebrate the launch of the first mobile hands-only CPR kiosk in LA County,” Enos said. “Tools like this kiosk equip our community members with the knowledge and skills to save lives.”

The event coincided with National CPR and AED Awareness Week and drew leaders from Providence, the American Heart Association and local residents, including a cardiac arrest survivor whose story helped anchor the demonstration.

“We are honored to be the first hospital in California to bring this tool to our community,” Enos said, noting that the kiosk would be stationed in the hospital’s main lobby before relocating to other sites countywide. “We are also sponsoring a kiosk at LAX, so if you're ever in the international terminal, please keep an eye out.”

Dan Hudson, the interim chief mission integration officer at Providence Saint John’s, offered a blessing for the new kiosk and shared a personal anecdote about his daughter recognizing the beat of her heart as “Jesus talking,” tying the moment to the spiritual and practical value of awareness.

“This is really what this is all about,” Hudson said. “Awareness and how to bring something to a community that can save lives.”

Dr. David Sato, board president of the American Heart Association’s Greater Los Angeles chapter and president of Providence Specialty Medical Group, emphasized the harsh realities of cardiac arrest and the critical window for intervention.

“In the time it takes us to dedicate this new kiosk, 45 people will have experienced a life-threatening cardiac event,” Sato said. “Sadly, nine out of 10 people who have out-of-hospital cardiac arrest do not survive because they do not receive CPR from people nearby.”

He called the kiosk “a technique involving two simple steps that anyone, even children as young as nine years old, can learn.”

The kiosk includes a video demonstration, a practice mode and a 30-second test that evaluates hand placement, compression depth and compression rate. The feedback is immediate, allowing users to repeat the test as often as needed until they achieve a passing score. The training is available in both English and Spanish.

Among the speakers was Ilisa Juried, a cardiac arrest survivor who credits CPR with saving her life nearly 20 years ago in a New York City subway station. At the time, she was 18 and pursuing a career in entertainment.

“I was signing my potential record deal with Lenny Kravitz,” Juried said. “I went into the subway station and saw some dancers. I said, ‘Mom, I want to hop in.’ About 20 seconds in, I started to feel really off. I grabbed my mom’s hand and collapsed.”

Juried said she was in cardiac arrest for 30 minutes before two nurses and a bystander began administering CPR, which they continued until paramedics arrived.

“Thank God,” she said. “I’m alive and I’m here today, and to date I am the youngest person in the world to survive what I have and still be here.”

Juried now lives in Valencia and has become a public speaker and advocate for CPR education. She works closely with the American Heart Association and has participated in thousands of outreach events.

“I knew that my purpose was bigger,” she said. “I don’t look at my heart condition as anything bad. I look at it as God’s blessing over my life, because I’m able to experience these kinds of events, inspire people and bring awareness.”

Following the formal remarks, Dr. Rigved Tadwalkar demonstrated how to use the kiosk. He guided the audience through the onscreen training steps and pointed out the benefit of immediate feedback.

“Just takes a couple of minutes,” Tadwalkar said. “Instantaneous feedback. These are things that we read about all the time. It’s different to actually go perform it and to have that tactile understanding, to get that muscle memory so that when this really happens in real life, people are not hesitating.”

He concluded by reminding the audience of the two essential steps in hands-only CPR: call 911 and push hard and fast in the center of the chest until help arrives.

“This kiosk is especially valuable,” Tadwalkar said. “It provides feedback on hand placement, rate of compressions and depth and all of that is important. Most Americans feel helpless. Because they don’t know how to perform CPR, they’re afraid. They often don’t.”

Sato echoed that sentiment later while speaking to the Daily Press.

“When people don’t know how to do CPR, they’re really hesitant to start because they think they’re going to hurt somebody,” he said. “But if somebody goes down, you have seconds to minutes to respond.”

He said kiosks like this one are targeted for high-traffic or underserved areas and will continue expanding across Los Angeles County.

“Our whole goal is fundraising to support cardiovascular research, teaching, outreach to the community and CPR support,” Sato said. “Support the Heart Association. It’s critically important.”

The kiosk is currently open to the public at Providence Saint John’s at 2121 Santa Monica Blvd, on the second floor, just across from the hospital cafeteria. After its stay in Santa Monica, it will travel to other locations across the region through 2028.