Hands-Only CPR Kiosk Provides Travelers with Life-Saving Skills

06/11/2019 02:24 PM

The CPR kiosk is located in Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX.
For Immediate Release
June 11, 2019

Contact:
Jocelyn Steele
LAX Public Relations

(424) 646-5260

Kristine Kelly
American Heart Association
(213) 453-9277
HANDS-ONLY CPR KIOSK PROVIDES TRAVELERS WITH LIFE-SAVING SKILLS
 
The new kiosk at LAX is the result of a partnership between Los Angeles World Airports, the American Heart Association, Anthem Blue Cross Foundation and CareMore Foundation
(Left to right) American Heart Association Board of Directors Member Karen Oxman, cardiac arrest survivor Zach Gingold, LAWA Deputy Executive Director of Emergency Management and Operations Keith Wilschetz, LAFD EMS Bureau Commander and Medical Director Dr. Marc Eckstein, Anthem Blue Cross-California Regional Vice President and Medical Director Dr. David P. Pryor and American Heart Association Los Angeles Board of Directors President Dr. John Harold 
(Los Angeles, CA) Today, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) and the American Heart Association unveiled a hands-only Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training kiosk at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) during National CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Awareness Month, an annual observance that brings attention to how lives can be saved if more Americans know how to perform CPR and use an AED.


"When emergencies occur, being prepared can mean the difference between life and death," said Keith Wilschetz, Deputy Executive Director of Emergency Management and Operations, LAWA. "We encourage all guests traveling through LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal to take a few minutes to use our new hands-only CPR training kiosks to learn the skills needed to save a life when someone is in cardiac arrest."

"The LAFD firefighter/paramedics who serve LAX appreciate any effort that enhances a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival,” said Dr. Marc Eckstein, LAFD Medical Director and EMS Bureau Commander.


The hands-only CPR training kiosk, operated by the American Heart Association and supported by Anthem Blue Cross Foundation and the CareMore Foundation, is located near Gate 150 on the Upper/Departures Level of Tom Bradley International Terminal. The terminal served more than 17 million passengers in 2018. With the help of the training kiosk, travelers can learn hands-only CPR in about five minutes.

 

Every year, more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside the hospital, and about 20 percent occur in public places. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or even triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival. However, less than half of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims receive CPR from a bystander.

Hands-only CPR has two simple steps, performed in this order: when you see a teen or adult suddenly collapse, call 911. Then, push hard and fast in the center of the chest at a rate of 100 to 120 beats per minute until help arrives.

Zach Gingold, who spoke at today's press conference, is proof of the lifesaving power of CPR. Ten years ago, at the age of 14, the Los Angeles resident collapsed on a hotel lobby floor in Israel after coming back from a bus tour. Two bystanders immediately ran to his rescue, performed CPR and administered an AED. Gingold survived and went on to graduate from high school, then college, and become a real estate investment banking professional.

“Every second counts when a person suffers a cardiac arrest, which is why bystander CPR must start immediately until professional help arrives,” said Dr. John Harold, a cardiologist and President of the American Heart Association's Los Angeles Board of Directors. “But bystanders may be reluctant to perform CPR because of lack of training or they may be fearful. The kiosks will help the public acquire a comfort level with performing chest compressions without the stress of an actual medical emergency, so they’ll feel empowered to spring into action if they witness a cardiac emergency."

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. Kiosk visitors can select to do the training in English or Spanish. The training also has closed captioning to make the instruction available to everyone.  

 

“Anthem Blue Cross is committed to supporting important initiatives that can have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of the communities we serve,” said David P. Pryor, M.D., M.P.H., Regional Vice President and Medical Director at Anthem Blue Cross. “Making the hands-only CPR training kiosks available at the airport enables travelers to make the most of their time by providing greater access to this valuable life-saving skill that can make a difference in the lives of Southern California residents and beyond.”


There are an additional 35 kiosks across the U.S., 18 of which are located at several U.S. airports. More than 200,000 people have been trained across all the kiosks.

For more information, visit http://heart.org/handsonlycpr.

  Torrance CitiCABLE reporter Jesse Pierre practiced CPR using the hands-only CPR kiosk.
LAWA Deputy Executive Director of Emergency Management and Operations Keith Wilschetz delivered remarks at the CPR kiosk press conference in Tom Bradley International Terminal.

About Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) 

LAX, the fourth-busiest airport in the world and second busiest in the United States, was named a top-10 U.S. airport by SKYTRAX. LAX served more than 87.5 million passengers in 2018 and offers an average of 700 daily nonstop flights to 109 cities in the U.S. and 1,281 weekly nonstop flights to 93 markets in 47 countries on 69 commercial airlines. LAX ranks 10th in the world in air cargo tonnage processed, with more than 2.4 million tons of air cargo. LAX handled 707,883 operations (landings and takeoffs) in 2018.  

 

LAX generated 620,600 jobs in Southern California, with labor income of $37.3 billion and economic output (business revenues) of more than $126.6 billion, according to an economic study based on 2014 operations. This activity added $6.2 billion to local and state revenues and $8.7 billion in federal tax revenues. The study also reported that LAX’s ongoing capital improvement program creates an additional 121,640 annual jobs with labor income of $7.6 billion and economic output of $20.3 billion; $966 million in state and local taxes; and $1.6 billion in federal tax revenues.

 

LAX was honored as having the “Best Overall Customer Service Program” by Airports Council International-North America; named the “Best Airport for Breastfeeding Moms” by Mamava; selected for the Top 10 “Best of the U.S.’s Big Airports” (Wall Street Journal) and “Most Pet-Friendly Airports in the U.S. (Mental Floss); named the second-most improved airport in the U.S. by JD Power; received an “Innovation Award” from the L.A. Better Business Challenge for its Central Utility Plant; and named  a “Business Leader in Air Quality” by the South Coast Air Quality Management District. 


LAX is also the second-most popular airport in the world to appear on Instagram, according to wego.com. LAX is part of a system of two Southern California airports – along with Van Nuys general aviation – that are owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports, a proprietary department of the City of Los Angeles that receives no funding from the City’s general fund.   

 

 About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a leading force for a world of longer, healthier lives. With nearly a century of lifesaving work, the Dallas-based association is dedicated to ensuring equitable health for all. We are a trustworthy source empowering people to improve their heart health, brain health and well-being. We collaborate with numerous organizations and millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, advocate for stronger public health policies, and share lifesaving resources and information. Connect with us on heart.org/losangelesFacebookInstagram and Twitter or (213) 291-7000.

About Anthem Blue Cross Foundation
Through charitable grant making, the Anthem Blue Cross Foundation LLC, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Association, promotes Anthem Blue Cross’s inherent commitment to enhance the health and well-being of individuals and families in communities that the company serves. The Foundation focuses its funding on strategic initiatives that address and provide innovative solutions to health care challenges, as well as promoting the Healthy Generations Program, a multi-generational initiative that targets specific disease states and medical conditions. These 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 and its parent foundation provides a 50 percent match of associates’ pledges. ®ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross names and symbol are registered marks of the Blue Cross Association.

As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and, upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities.  Alternative formats in large print, braille, audio, and other forms (if possible) will be provided upon request.

 

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