By Jim Killackey
The Oklahoman
Copyright 2008 The Oklahoman
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — The state statistics are grim and frightening — each year about 2,000 Oklahomans are victims of a sudden heart attack, and most die before ever reaching a hospital for care.
Oklahoma, in fact, has the worst cardiovascular disease mortality rate in the United States, according to the state Health Department.
June 1-7 is National CPR and AED Awareness Week. An AED is an automated external defibrillator, a potentially life-saving device.
“This training could make the difference between life and death for a family member, colleague or any individual experiencing cardiac arrest,” said Meredith Morris, spokeswoman for the National Safety Council in Itasca, Ill.
“About 75 to 80 percent of sudden cardiac arrests happen at home, so being trained and administering CPR before advanced life support arrives can mean the difference between life and death,” said Eric Pickering, a CPR instructor for the American Red Cross of Central Oklahoma.
If the brain and vital organs go without oxygen for about eight to 10 minutes, death is almost certain.
“Early CPR can extend that window by supplying freshly oxygenated blood to the brain and vital organs until advanced medical help arrives,” he said.
“Injuries happen all the time that can cause a person’s heart to stop beating. Children choke. We have accidents at the lake, and there are work injuries. So a variety of people may need CPR for a variety of reasons.”
Training means life or death
Travis Koch, 26, took CPR training Friday at American Red Cross headquarters in Oklahoma City. He’s a safety and environmental technician at Kimray, a 400-employee firm in Oklahoma City that makes oil field pumps and valves.
“There are too many different health situations that could arise. Knowing CPR could be the difference between an employee coming back the next day, or soon or being dead,” said Koch.
Koch said another reason he’s taken CPR instruction is the memory of his 9-month old brother, Troy Koch, falling into a wading pool years ago. His mother, Saska Koch, used CPR to save the child’s life.
Only 7 percent are ready
Amy Graham, Tulsa American Red Cross area director of community preparedness, said only 7 percent are “Red Cross Ready” for a disaster or other emergency and know CPR.
Many companies send their employees to the American Red Cross for automated external defibrillator training because they have the devices at their workplace, she said.
Automated external defibrillator training is $20, while CPR training costs $30. At the American Red Cross in Oklahoma City, CPR training is $35, while automated external defibrillator and CPR training is $45.