The American Heart Association (AHA) has installed an interactive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training kiosk at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DIA).
The new Hands-Only kiosk, at the Gate 33 checkpoint in Terminal E, is operated by the AHA with the support of Oncor Electric Delivery Company, and provides CPR training in about five minutes.
The launch, which took place during CPR and AED (automated external defibrillator) Awareness week (June 1-7), included a kiosk demonstration performed by a licensed emergency responder.
DFW Airport was the first US airport to have an American Heart Association Hands-Only CPR kiosk. This latest version, sponsored by Oncor, is to replace the original unit, which was installed in 2013. There are now 35 Hands-Only CPR kiosks in the USA, many of them at airports.
The kiosk features a touchscreen with a video program that provides a brief introduction and 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 and proper hand placement – factors that influence the effectiveness of CPR.
Every year in the USA, more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside the hospital and more than 20% take place in public places such as airports, casinos and sporting facilities. Survival from cardiac arrest can depend on immediately receiving CPR.
Photos by James Edward