On Friday, June 6, in celebration of CPR & AED Awareness Week, MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center in partnership with the Long Beach Fire Department (LBFD), welcomed residents of all ages to a free, interactive CPR training event at the Long Beach Exchange. At Long Beach Medical Center, 141 cases of cardiac arrest patients were treated between July 2023 and June 2024 – but only 40% received bystander CPR before arriving at the hospital. This annual “Sidewalk CPR” event provided critical education to the community, empowering them to act confidently in a cardiac emergency and transform bystanders into lifesavers in just minutes.
“The fact that 60% of people that came to us didn’t get bystander CPR is alarming,” says Khiet Hoang, M.D., medical director, emergency cardiac services, MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute, Long Beach Medical Center. “That’s why events like ‘Sidewalk CPR’ are so important. We need to educate and empower our community to help one another in time of crisis and not shy away out of fear or the unknown. As a community, I know Long Beach sticks together, and this is another way we can be there for one another. Research shows that administering hands-only CPR can double or even triple the chances of survival for cardiac arrest victims.”
During the event, multiple training stations were set up where MemorialCare nurses and Long Beach firefighters demonstrated hands-only CPR techniques using mannequins of various sizes and anatomies, including male, female, and infant. To reduce fear, it’s important to learn on each body size and type, so the community feels confident to help anyone who needs it.
They also emphasized the importance of maintaining the correct pace for chest compressions, suggesting people use songs like “Stayin’ Alive,” “Baby Shark,” and “Cowboy Carter” to remember the rhythm for effective CPR.
“Men are more likely to receive hands-only CPR than women. As a result, men have a 23% higher chance of survival compared to women,” said Nissi Suppogu, M.D., medical director, Women’s Heart Center, MemorialCare Hear & Vascular Institute, Long Beach Medical Center. “There are many reasons people hesitate to perform CPR on women. One is uncertainty about how to help, another is fear of doing something wrong and finally, some people are uncomfortable about touching a woman’s body during an emergency. But those few seconds of hesitation can be the difference between life and death.”
At the Sidewalk CPR event, Donald Newman, a cardiac arrest survivor, shared his story to attendees at the event.
“I am extremely lucky and blessed to be alive today,” shared Newman. “If it wasn’t for my wife Lisa having performed CPR until the emergency team arrived and took me to the hospital, I’m not sure that I would be standing here today. I encourage everyone to learn CPR; it can save a life – it certainly saved mine.”
This testament of the swift actions of Newman’s wife performed show the power of being knowledgeable in CPR. It is about life and death for many.
“Seventy percent of cardiac arrests happen at home,” said Dr. Hoang. “That means the person whose heart suddenly stops could be a parent, a spouse, a sibling or a close friend. When a heart stops, there’s no time to wait – and you don’t need to be a doctor or a nurse to save a life. You just need to know what to do – and have the courage to act.”
Since 2012, MemorialCare has been educating the surrounding community about CPR through events such as this as part of their annual community outreach program. Cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in the United States, making events that teach and encourage bystanders not to be afraid to learn the skills that could one day help them save a loved one’s life.
