Leon County's Press the Chest teaches lifesaving CPR skills

1. Learn valuable lifesaving skills at Press the Chest, a hands-on community CPR training event presented by Leon County from 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, June 3, at the Tucker Civic Center, 505 West Pensacola St.

Using science-based guidelines established by the American Heart Association, attendees will learn the lifesaving skills of adult hands-only CPR, child CPR with breaths, adult and child choking relief, and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) awareness from experienced Leon County Emergency Medical Services medics. Check-in begins at 9 a.m.

Each attendee at Press the Chest will receive an American Heart Association personal “CPR Anytime” kit containing a CPR manikin, DVD, and educational materials that they can use to practice at home and share with family and friends.

Register for this free event at LeonCountyFL.gov/PressTheChest.

CPR, or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, is an emergency lifesaving procedure performed when the heart stops beating. Performing CPR immediately after cardiac arrest can double or triple the chances of survival.

Since 2010, Leon County has trained more than 16,000 residents with hands-on instruction on how to do CPR correctly. The annual Press the Chest event equips citizens with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to perform CPR during an emergency. Events like Press the Chest contribute to Leon County’s cardiac survival rate of 58%, which far exceeds the national average of 18%.

CPR training is suitable for children 7 and older, but all ages are welcome to attend. This is not a certification event.