Mission Health and American Red Cross to offer citizen CPR classes

Here’s the press release from the American Red Cross:

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (Aug. 6, 2012) – Mission Health and the American Red Cross will offer free cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) classes at “CPR Saturday,” on August 18 at the times and locations indicated below. These classes are “hands only” – not involving mouth-to-mouth contact – and are designed to enable citizens to provide basic assistance in cardiac emergencies. During the 30-minute class, participants learn how to check for consciousness, call 911 and give continuous chest compressions.

Statistics show that more than 300,000 people die of sudden cardiac arrest each year in the United States. A quick response is critical in addressing cardiac arrest. For each minute that CPR is delayed, the person’s chance of survival is reduced by approximately 10 percent.

“Community classes like the Mission Health CPR Saturday class are vital to the health and welfare of Western North Carolina,” said Amanda Edwards, community chapter executive for the Asheville Mountain Area Chapter of the American Red Cross. “One in four people has been in a situation where someone needed CPR. That’s a staggering statistic, and many people do not know how to react in that situation. I thank Mission Health for investing in this life-saving class.”

“The collaboration between the Red Cross and Mission Health is a testament to the commitment we have to improving the health of residents in our region,” said Frank Castelblanco, director of cardiac emergencies at Mission Health. “This invaluable skill is easy-to-learn and empowers everyone to respond in emergencies to help to save lives. These classes enable individuals to be lifesavers instead of bystanders.”

Classes will be held at the locations and times below:

9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Classes

American Red Cross, 100 Edgewood Road, Asheville, NC 28804
American Red Cross, 203 2nd Avenue East, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Angel Medical Center, 120 Riverview Street, Franklin, NC 28734
McDowell Hospital, 430 Rankin Drive, Marion, NC 28752
American Red Cross, 828 Oakland Road, Forest City, NC 28043
First Presbyterian Church of Burnsville, 120 Church Street, Burnsville, NC 28714

1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Classes

Transylvania Regional Hospital, 260 Hospital Drive, Brevard, NC 28712
American Red Cross, 1668 Brown Avenue, Waynesville, NC 28786
Blue Ridge Regional Hospital, 125 Hospital Drive, Spruce Pine, NC 28777

To sign up for a class, contact Marie McMahan at 828-258-3888, ext. 202.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation’s blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org

About Mission Health:

Mission Health, based in Asheville, N.C., is the state’s sixth-largest health system and the region’s only not-for-profit, independent community hospital system governed and managed exclusively in western North Carolina. In 2012 Mission Health was named one of the nation’s Top 15 Health Systems by Thomson Reuters – the only health system in North Carolina to receive this recognition.

Mission Health, which traces its roots in the region back to 1885, operates six hospitals, numerous outpatient and surgery centers, and the region’s only dedicated Level II trauma center. Its medical staff consists of more than 1,000 physicians and is certified in over 50 medical specialties and sub-specialties. Centers of Excellence include cardiology, neurology, trauma and pediatrics. Mission Hospital, located in Asheville, is the system’s flagship hospital and is licensed for 730 beds. It is the regional referral center for tertiary and quaternary care and is the busiest surgical hospital in North Carolina. Other Mission Health member hospitals include Angel Medical Center in Franklin, Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in Spruce Pine, McDowell Hospital in Marion, Transylvania Regional Hospital in Brevard and Mission Children’s Hospital in Asheville – the region’s only Children’s Hospital. With approximately 8,800 employees and 700 volunteers, Mission Health is dedicated to improving the health and wellness of the people of western North Carolina.