A doctor from India lost his adult son several months ago. The son experienced cardiac arrest and nobody knew enough about CPR to step in and help.

A very high percentage—above 90%— of sudden cardiac arrest victims die prior to arriving at the hospital. According the American Heart Association, providing immediate CPR can improve the victim’s odds of survival greatly.

Since the loss of his son, the retired government doctor has become a self-appointed CPR ambassador traveling around India teaching people the difference between cardiac arrest and a heart attack.

Cardiac arrest is when the heart stops working, which is why the chest compressions are vital. It keeps the heart pumping blood to the brain.

The doctor explains to those he teaches that CPR must be provided in what he calls the “golden hour” —in the seconds immediately following the arrest and prior to even arriving at the hospital.

His younger son, also a doctor, participates in the program by teaching CPR.

Be a hero! Learn CPR.

You’ve seen the videos on YouTube of pre-coordinated dance flash mobs that appear in crowded malls and outdoor shopping centers. But this weekend in Las Vegas, there was a CPR flash mob organized to raise awareness of how easy it is to perform CPR!

American Red Cross volunteers and local firefighters organized a CPR flash mob at the Fremont Street Experience to the rhythm of “Staying Alive.” While the famous Bee Gees song played in the background, volunteers and firefighters did chest compressions on mannequins to illustrate how to perform chest compressions.

One of the volunteers explained,”We’re all going to CPR and everybody’s going to be able to see just how easy it is to save a life.” The volunteers stuck around after the flash mob to teach passersby how to perform CPR.

Great job, volunteers! We think this is such an engaging and fun way to teach people about CPR!

If you saw a squirrel at the bottom of the pool, would you attempt to resuscitate it? Most people would probably say no. But Rick Gruber was not about to let a squirrel die when he knew how to perform CPR.

He was out to make routine repairs and maintenance when he spotted a squirrel at the bottom of the pool. He administered life saving CPR he had learned previously.

In the video, the reporter gives instructions on how to perform CPR on a squirrel. We agree with most of the information presented, but we would recommend using the “hands only method,” in this case. You don’t know where that squirrel has been!