CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — Interest in getting CPR is on the rise since the country watched Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin collapse from cardiac arrest on the field in January. In the days after, the American Heart Association says they had a 620% increase in pageviews for hands-only CPR content.
After Hamlin's cardiac arrest, people said he was in the right place at the right time surrounded by medical staff. If you get CPR certified, you too can be in the right place at the right time.
Especially in Clay County where they’re taking an extra step to make sure someone responds quickly.
”We have over 300 cardiac arrests in this county annually," said Captain Billy Futch. "How many do you think actually walk out of the ER?”
The answer is less than 10%.
I got a look inside Futch’s CPR recertification class, but you don’t have to be a first responder to save someone’s life with CPR.
“Even if they are just doing what we now teach – hands only cpr – it is truly going to enhance the ability of us getting there and doing more advanced life procedures," Futch said.
Clay County Fire Rescue provides certification classes for free for groups. Once certified, they encourage you to download the Pulse Point app.
“Clay County is, in my opinion, leading the way for not only other counties and fire departments and other things. We have subscribed to an app that will alert people that CPR is needed," Futch explained. "And if they’re within that circle – half a mile – then they are alerted that CPR is needed and the app will notify them.”
The app is called Pulse Point and once you say you'll respond, it will open directions to take you to the patient to start CPR until paramedics arrive, potentially making the entire county the right place at the right time.
Time is of the essence. Futch says a patient has 10 minutes of survivability from the start of cardiac arrest.
So for people in rural areas of Clay County, the fact that someone could be nearby and can respond is life or death.
To set up a free CPR certification class with Clay County Fire Rescue, email your request to Clay County here under the "Request an Appearance" tab.