In honor of National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Month, the San Ramon Valley HeartSafe Committee will provide hands-only CPR training at this week's California High-Monte Vista High junior varsity and varsity football games.

On Friday, Oct. 5, the Committee will teach CPR and proper use of an automated external defribulator (AED) during halftime. The CPR tent will be set up on the field at Cal High (9870 Broadmoor Drive, San Ramon) and attendees will have the opportunity to learn how to save a life.

"CPR is something everyone should learn, like riding a bike or learning to swim," said Joe Farrell, a Committee member and sudden cardiac arrest survivor. "I was fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time to save someone using CPR and then just a year later to have some else use their knowledge of CPR to save me."

Over 300,000 Americans fall victim to sudden cardiac arrest each year and using hands-only CPR within three minutes increases the survival rate by nearly 70 percent.

"CPR has changed over the past 10 years," Kim French, the fire district's information officer, told the Express earlier this year. "Many people won't utilize mouth-to-mouth and we've found that people will engage more after they learn hands-only compression."

The junior varsity game begins at 4:30 p.m. and the varsity team kicks off at 7 p.m.

"With the hands-only CPR method, learning CPR is a snap," said Captain Andy Swartzell, Emergency Medical Services Coordinator for the Fire District. "Both the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association teaches, if you see an adult collapse, simply call 9-1-1 and then push hard and fast in the center of the patient's chest until help arrives."

If you are planning to attend the game this Friday San Ramon Valley Fire and the HeartSafe Committee encourages you not to "fumble" your opportunity to learn these lifesaving skills.

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