WHAT would you do if you saw someone suffering a heart attack right in front of you? Would you be able to help save his or her life?
That is what members of the St John Ambulance Malaysia (SJAM) hoped the man-on-the-street would be able to do if faced with an emergency situation.
Recently, some 25 volunteers from the uniformed body’s local chapter sacrificed a Sunday to teach shoppers the basics of cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at the Terminal One Shopping Centre in Seremban.
SJAM deputy state commander Datuk Loh Kim Heong said people should equip themselves with CPR skills as research showed heart attack victims had a higher chance of survival if CPR was administered immediately.
“Many incidences of cardiac arrest happen at home so it is essential that people learn this life-saving skill.
St. John’sAmbulansmembers showinga shopper how theCPR technique isdone.“This is vital as the brain and lungs are deprived of oxygen when a person goes into severe cardiac arrest.
“Performing CPR on a heart attack victim while waiting for medical support to arrive can help save the person’s life,” he said.
Loh said the CPR demonstration was held to create awareness among Malaysians as heart attack is the number one killer in the country.
“It is no longer confined to the elderly. There are cases where people only in their thirties have collapsed while playing badminton and bystanders are at a loss.
“That is why we want to emphasise the need for CPR. The technique can also be used to help victims of drowning and suffocation.
“It could make a difference in someone’s life,” he said.
SJAM’s message was not lost on shoppers as more than 100 people took the opportunity to take part in the demonstration and pick up the basics of CPR.
CPR demonstrations were also performed simultaneously by other SJAM branches around the country in conjunction with the organisation’s centenary celebration.
