If you witness a heart attack, you can feel pretty helpless – unless you know how to perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), in which case you can double a person’s chance of surviving.

CPR is a skill we all should know because statistically it’s possible that a heart attack or other medical emergency could happen in your presence.

According to the American Heart Association, almost 80 percent of all heart attacks that occur at home occur in the presence of a family member. The reason only 6.4 percent of people survive an out-of-hospital heart attack is that most bystanders are not prepared to perform CPR.

Learn the basics by taking a course in CPR. If you haven’t taken a CPR course in many years, review the latest guidelines because your skills are probably rusty.

National CPR guidelines have changed significantly, and it is important to stay up to date.

For dates and registration information regarding CPR classes, call CPR Heart Starters toll-free at 1-888-700-0072. Heart Starters offers classes at Doylestown Hospital for Friends and Family (Infant/ Child), First Aid, CPR for Healthcare Providers, and Heartsaver (Infant, Child and Adult).