More than 300,000 people go into cardiac arrest outside of a hospital every year.
About 90 percent of those who do end up dying.
CPR can save them, but many people either don’t know how to do it or are afraid of hurting the victim.
Now, public health experts are encouraging people to jump into action by using something that’s very likely already at their fingertips.
From an early age, people are taught to dial 911 in an emergency, but when people see someone go into cardiac arrest, many people freeze.
The American Heart Association and Red Cross have released updated CPR guidelines.
They remind bystanders that mobile technology can save lives.
After calling 911, the guidelines say, put the phone on speaker, then put it down to keep your hands free.
The guidelines also suggest using mobile apps that get citizens to cardiac arrest victims in public places fast.
Pulse-point is a non-profit that has worked with more than 1,300 communities.
When someone calls 911 with a cardiac arrest emergency, it alerts anyone nearby who has the app, and is trained in CPR.
Starting CPR quickly can double – even triple – the likelihood a cardiac arrest victim will survive.
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