ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – People who suffer cardiac arrest in Hispanic neighborhoods are 44% less likely to survive, a disparity often attributed to limited access to CPR training and bystander uncertainty about how to respond.
On World Heart Day, the city of Orlando Fire Department aimed to bridge this gap by hosting a free hands-only CPR and defibrillator training session at the Walt Disney Amphitheatre in Lake Eola Park. The event provided instruction in both English and Spanish, targeting the needs of Hispanic residents in Orlando.
Every minute that goes by when a person does not receive CPR when they’re unresponsive, meaning that their chance of survival goes down by 10%, according to the city of Orlando Fire Department.
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Eight-year-old Micaela Salcedo, a student at Lake Eola Charter School, emphasized that saving a life is within reach for everyone, regardless of age.
“Because even though you’re a young kid like me, it doesn’t mean you can’t do it.”
Firefighter and EMT Benigno Sevilla, who has served Orlando for 20 years, said offering training is especially crucial for Hispanic communities.
“Doing CPR is taxing. It is taxing on the person doing compression, and it’s good to have somebody who’s there that can help you. So the more people who learn, the more people who help each other, you switch out maybe once or twice. The fire department takes over that person. That person has a good chance of returning to the community, society.”
For those who missed the World Heart Day event, the city of Orlando will host another CPR training class this coming Saturday. Pre-registration is required.