CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas —
Cardiac arrests can happen anywhere, which is why it's important to be prepared. As a matter of fact, over 350,000 of cardiac arrests happen outside of the hospital every year.
When performed correctly, the American Heart Association reports that CPR has the potential to double or even triple the chance of survival.
Quick thinking and CPR came in handy for Cathy Lathrop back in 2013 when her husband, Bill suffered a heart attack at home.
"I had no formal training and had only seen it maybe on TV, and I just started pressing because I knew that was possibly the only thing that was going to keep him alive," she said.
"It saved my life. I was dead," Bill said.
Cathy performed CPR on Bill until EMS arrived. He had gone without oxygen for 15 minutes before he could be hooked up to a ventilator and placed in a medically induced coma.
It was later that doctors decided to treat bill with therapeutic hyperthermia treatment.
"From what I understand, the CPR is what allowed them to put him inside the cooling unit successfully," Cathy said.
Doctors told Cathy that without the CPR she administered, Bill would've never been considered as a candidate for the lifesaving treatment he received at the hospital.
"Dying will give you a different perspective on living,” Bill said. “I'm very thankful. Today is 3,906 extra days, and I'm thankful for every one of them, and I’m thankful that God had mercy on me and let me live."
Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health District wants to make sure you are prepared to help save a life - that's why they're offering free first aid CPR training classes this summer.
“CPR training can save lives,” said public health director Dr. Fauzia Khan. “This training raises awareness, and it also helps prioritize health and safety. We want people to be empowered in an emergency before professional help arrives.
While these classes will give participants basic first aid and CPR training they may need for emergency situations, Dr. Khan wants to stress the importance of calling 911 before you provide aid to any person in distress.
You can sign up for those classes here.