American Heart Association and the Amerigroup Foundation Unveil Hands-Only CPR Training Kiosk at BWI Airport to Help Millions of Travelers Learn a Lifesaving Skill

BALTIMORE, June 6, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Travelers who have time to spare before their flight departs can learn Hands-Only CPR in about five minutes at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), where a new interactive kiosk at Gate B7 will teach this effective bystander CPR skill. BWI Airport is one of five U.S. locations where a Hands-Only CPR training kiosk will reside, courtesy of the American Heart Association (AHA) and the Amerigroup Foundation.

The introduction of BWI's kiosk will coincide with National CPR & AED Awareness Week (June 1-7, 2016), which educates Americans about CPR and AED training in order to increase the chance of survival from cardiac arrest.  Every year, more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of the hospital and more than 20 percent occur in public places like airports, casinos and sporting facilities. The Hands-Only CPR education available at each kiosk helps users understand how they can immediately help a person who experiences a cardiac emergency outside of a hospital.

Each kiosk has a touch screen with a brief video that shows how to perform Hands-Only CPR followed by a practice session and a 30-second CPR test. With the help of a practice manikin, or a rubber torso, the kiosk gives feedback about the depth and rate of compressions and proper hand placement – factors that influence the effectiveness of CPR.

"Cardiac arrest remains a leading cause of death in the United States, and survival depends on immediately receiving CPR from someone nearby," said Dr. Seth S. Martin, assistant professor of cardiology at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and AHA volunteer. "Although in-person training is still the best way to learn the skills necessary for high-quality CPR, the kiosk will provide additional training that could make a difference and save the life of someone you love." 

The other airports with kiosks are Chicago O'Hare International (ORD), Indianapolis International (IND), and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL). A kiosk also resides at the Global Center for Health Innovation in Cleveland, Ohio.

"About 90 percent of cardiac arrest victims die, often because bystanders don't know how to start CPR or are afraid they'll do something wrong," said Dr. Lelin Chao, medical director, Amerigroup Maryland. "Bystander CPR, especially if administered immediately, can double or triple a cardiac victim's chance of survival, which is why the Hands-Only CPR education available at the kiosk is so valuable. In just a matter of a few minutes, travelers will learn a skill that can potentially make a difference in the lives of those they love most and others."

The two simple steps of Hands-Only CPR are: if a bystander sees a teen or adult collapse, he or she should first call 9-1-1, then push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the beat of "Stayin' Alive," which has the perfect cadence for proper CPR.

"The kiosks will help travelers understand how simple it is to perform the two steps of Hands-Only CPR, which will hopefully help reduce some of the trepidation that people have about performing bystander CPR," said Dr. Roger Blumenthal, Greater Baltimore AHA Board President. "After completing the kiosk training, we hope people will feel empowered knowing they are taking the first steps in learning a critical skill."

"Our passengers waiting for a flight can now take the opportunity to learn how to save a life," said Ricky Smith, chief executive officer for BWI Marshall Airport. "This is a valuable tool that will allow travelers to quickly learn the important Hands-Only CPR technique."

To learn more about the Hands-Only CPR campaign and learn how to save a life, visit www.heart.org/handsonlycpr or facebook.com/AHACPR.

About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America's No. 1 and No. 4 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. As part of our dedication to save lives, we are setting out to train all Americans in lifesaving Hands-Only CPR. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country.

About the Amerigroup Foundation
The Amerigroup Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Amerigroup, a wholly owned subsidiary of Anthem, Inc. Together, with local, regional and national organizations, the Amerigroup Foundation works to enhance the health and well-being of individuals and families in communities that Amerigroup and its affiliated health plans serve. Amerigroup Foundation funding is focused on strategic initiatives working to address and provide innovative solutions to health care challenges, as well as promoting the Healthy Generations Program, a multi-generational initiative with five areas of focus: Healthy Heart, Cancer Prevention, Healthy Maternal Practices, Type 2 Diabetes Prevention, and Healthy Active Lifestyle. These disease states and medical conditions include: prenatal care in the first trimester, low birth weight babies, cardiac morbidity rates, long term activities that decrease obesity and increase physical activity, diabetes prevalence in adult populations, adult pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations and smoking cessation. The Foundation also coordinates the company's year-round Associate Giving program which provides a 50 percent match of associates' campaign pledges, as well as its Volunteer Time Off and Dollars for Doers community service programs. To learn more about the Amerigroup Foundation, please visit www.anthem.foundation.

About Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is centrally located between Washington, DC and Baltimore, Maryland with easy access to the entire metropolitan region.  BWI Marshall is the 22^nd busiest airport in the United States, serving nearly 24 million passengers per year.  Commercial airline service at BWI Marshall includes more than 300 daily nonstop departures and flights to 80 domestic and international destinations.   

Passenger traffic continues to grow steadily at BWI Marshall with new air service and new destinations.  A major capital program is underway at BWI Marshall to create further airline capacity and to add passenger services.

BWI Marshall is a major transportation resource and economic development engine for the State of Maryland and the entire National Capital region.  The airport generates and supports almost 98,000 jobs in the region.

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SOURCE American Heart Association