CPR saves lives, Steve Munatones is here to prove it

On May 12, Steven Munatones suffered a cardiac arrest. His son Skyler found him lying unresponsive on the bathroom floor and immediately began performing life-saving CPR until paramedics arrived. He literally saved his father's life.

Each year, more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside the hospital, and about 20 percent occur in public places such as airports. American Heart Association research has shown that Hands-Only CPR can be as effective as conventional CPR for cardiac arrest when it occurs in public, and CPR can double or triple a victim's chance of survival.

The Orange County/Inland Empire Division was the first Division on the West Coast to place an interactive hands-only CPR training kiosk at John Wayne Airport, offering travelers an opportunity to learn the lifesaving skill of Hands-Only CPR in about five minutes while they wait for their flights.

Each kiosk has a touch screen with a short video that provides an overview of Hands-Only CPR, followed by a practice session and a 30-second test. With the help of a practice manikin, or a rubber torso, the kiosk gives feedback about the depth and rate of compressions, as well as proper hand placement - factors that influence the effectiveness of CPR.

With summer air travel expected to resume, now that Southern California and other states are re-opening after the pandemic, availability of the training kiosks can help people feel confident to administer Hands-Only CPR on a stranger or someone they love.

The airport kiosks have proven to be an invaluable approach to introduce CPR to people, making it more likely they will respond if they encounter a cardiac arrest victim outside the hospital.

Find a CPR class near you.