Health Professionals Talk Importance Of Knowing CPR

The on-field medical emergency involving Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is highlighting the need for CPR training.

Doctors say it's the quick response of athletic trainers using CPR and a defibrillator that helped save Hamlin's life. Oklahoma high school students are required to learn basic CPR before graduation.

"It's important for everyone to learn, whether you're a young parent, or you're a child with older parents, you know you may never have to use it, but you may have to when it's on a loved one," said Dan Newman, head Union Public Schools athletic trainer.

Newman says at the end of April seniors will watch videos on how to do it, and then put that knowledge into action.

"They get their hands on a mannequin and learn what the correct depth is for chest compressions and how many because even just hands-only CPR is better than nothing at all," he said.

The Red Cross says every second counts when there's an emergency and it's critical to know what to do. Newman says the combo of CPR and using an AED, is the key to survival.

"Having the ability to have an AED, an automatic external difibulator on hand, the longer AED difibulation is delayed, the higher the chances of that person not surviving," he said.

He says if you know CPR, it's smart to keep up your certification and take refresher courses because you never know when you may need it.

"A little of something is better than nothing, any chance you can help someone survive a sudden cardiac arrest is huge," he said.

The Red Cross of Oklahoma and Kansas say they have trained about 20,000 people from last July to November on first aid, CPR, or AED use.