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Margaret Knudsen
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Virginia Lowe
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NATIONAL TEXAS TWO STEP CPR: SAVE A LIFE CAMPAIGN 2019
Medical school students and partners seek to save lives nationwide by teaching free,
hands-only CPR on February 8-10
HOUSTON, TX (January 22, 2019)—From Friday February 8 to Sunday February 10, medical students will join forces with national non-profits HealthCorps and First Impact for the 4th Annual National Texas Two Step CPR: Save a Life Campaign. Free hands-only CPR training will be offered over the three days at public sites in 16 states across the United States. Participating states include: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas.
During 5-minute training sessions, participants will learn how to act quickly in the event of cardiac emergencies by following two easy steps: 1) Call 911 2) Push hard and fast in the center of the chest until help arrives. “"In an emergency situation, a family member, colleague, or neighbor may be your first responder. Our goal is to empower community members with the skills and confidence to act if they witness a sudden cardiac arrest,” said Texas-Two Step CPR board member and Herbert Wertheim College of Medicineat FIU student Lena Carleton.
The event was created by a group of medical students and the Texas College of Emergency Physicians in 2016 after recognizing the need to train more Texans in lifesaving, hands-only CPR. Last year, the event trained more than 7,892 individuals at 60 sites across the country.
“Since heart disease is the number one killer of Americans, we knew it was important to help the medical students and our great partners bring this lifesaving event to our communities again this year. We are so proud of how the initiative has continued to grow from year to year,” said HealthCorps President Michelle Bouchard.
To learn more about NationalTexas Two Step CPR: Save a Life Campaignplease visit www.tx2stepcpr.comto find a training site near you. Times and locations vary based on training sites. People are encouraged to show support for this lifesaving event by following @TX2StepCPR on Twitter.
About HealthCorps
HealthCorps is a 501 (c)(3) that works in high need high schools to give teens tools to improve physical and mental health so they can learn to live more productive and happier lives.
Founded in 2003 by Dr. Mehmet Oz, HealthCorps’ mission is to strengthen communities with the most innovative approaches to health and wellness to help the next generation be more resilient, both mentally and physically.
HealthCorps students exercise more, eat better and practice positive thought.
About First Impact
First Impact is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to developing leadership and organizational skills for young healthcare professionals through community service.
Founded in 2018, the group provides mentorship for the creation, publicity, funding, and
implementation of a community service project. By supporting motivated innovators and creative thinkers, First Impact hopes to mold the leaders of tomorrow’s world.
About National Texas Two Step CPR
National Texas Two Step CPR is an annual event aimed at engaging the public and educating them on the benefits of compressions-only/hands-only CPR. Since inception, this project has trained over 18,500 in proper compressions-only CPR technique, with the help of 700 medical students each year.
As the name implies, National Texas Two Step CPR consists of two steps:
1) Call 911
2) Push hard and fast in the center of the chest until help arrives
Hands-only CPR is easy to learn and can be performed by the layperson in emergency situations to buy time for a loved one until emergency medical services arrive.