Winnipeg is Canada's eighth largest city, with a population of over 700,000 people. Like any major city, medical emergencies can happen at any time. Sudden cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death in Canada, with over 40,000 cardiac arrests occurring outside hospitals each year. Effective bystander CPR and early defibrillation with an automated external defibrillator (AED) can greatly improve survival rates. That's why learning CPR and AED Training Winnipeg is so vital for Winnipeg residents.
Understanding CPR and AEDs
CPR Training Winnipeg, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is an emergency procedure performed when someone's breathing or heartbeat has stopped. It involves giving chest compressions to manually pump blood around the body and rescue breaths to provide oxygen. An AED is a portable device that can check a person's heart rhythm and deliver an electric shock, called defibrillation, to restart the heart into a normal rhythm. Using an AED along with CPR during those first critical minutes after collapse can increase survival rates by 60% or more.
Where to Receive CPR and AED Training
There are many options for Winnipeg residents to receive CPR and AED Training Winnipeg from certified instructors. The Canadian Red Cross, St. John Ambulance, and Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada all offer training courses at their Winnipeg branches. Classes range from a few hours for basic CPR skills to a full two-day course to get certified in CPR/AED at a professional rescuer level. Some employers also provide onsite CPR and First Aid Training Winnipeg for their staff.
Increasing AED Availability and Awareness
Many schools, recreation centers, entertainment venues, office buildings, and public spaces in Winnipeg now have AEDs installed or available for medical emergencies. However, these life-saving devices are only effective if people know where they are located and how to properly operate them. Taking an AED and CPR Training Winnipeg helps raise awareness that AEDs exist in the community while teaching people when and how to use them.
Who Should Learn These Skills
Some of the key places Winnipeg residents should consider getting trained in CPR and AED Training Winnipeg include parents with young children, caregivers for elderly family members, fitness club employees, lifeguards, teachers, workplace first aiders, sports coaches, and anyone interested in volunteer first responding. Having more people know these basic life support skills means more lives can potentially be saved if sudden cardiac arrest strikes a loved one, colleague, or even a stranger out in the community.
