News

CPR kiosks teach life saving skills at BWI airport

June 8, 2016

The American Heart Association has deployed a CPR training kiosk at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, according to the press release. Kiosk users have the opportunity to watch a CPR training video on the kiosk and then perform the procedure on a mannequin.

The kiosk is being made available at the airport June 1–7 during National CPR & AED Awareness Week, an event that aims to help improve outcomes for the 350,000 Americans each year who experience a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital. Approximately 20 percent of these incidents occur in a public place such as an airport, the release said.

"About 90 percent of cardiac arrest victims die, often because bystanders don't know how to start CPR or are afraid they'll do something wrong," said Dr. Lelin Chao, medical director of Amerigroup Maryland. "Bystander CPR, especially if administered immediately, can double or triple a cardiac victim's chance of survival, which is why the hands-only CPR education available at the kiosk is so valuable. In just a matter of a few minutes, travelers will learn a skill that can potentially make a difference in the lives of those they love most and others."

The kiosk touchscreen displays a video that shows users how to do CPR. After watching the program, the user can practice on a mannequin at the the kiosk before taking a 30-second "test." The kiosk provides feedback on the user's CPR technique, indicating the depth and rate of hand compressions and whether hand placement was correct.

"Cardiac arrest remains a leading cause of death in the United States, and survival depends on immediately receiving CPR from someone nearby," said Dr. Seth S. Martin, assistant professor of cardiology at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and an AHA volunteer. "Although in-person training is still the best way to learn the skills necessary for high-quality CPR, the kiosk will provide additional training that could make a difference and save the life of someone you love."

Chicago O'Hare International, Indianapolis International and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International have also deployed the CPR kiosk.