WOOD RIVER, Neb. (KSNB) – During Husker Harvest Days, you can learn the life-saving skills of hands-only CPR. The American Red Cross teaches everyone who comes through the health tent how to do it properly.

Participants first go through the steps of checking to see if the person is conscious, followed by calling 911; and then performing CPR until medical professionals arrive. Red Cross official Susan Hensley said this is an important skill to learn.

“People go down, the kids go play sports, we have farmers and ranchers who go down because of injuries; their hearts stop and we try to teach them what to do until the ambulance comes to help them,” Hensley said.

Hensley said learning CPR is essential if you live in a rural area.

“They can be out there alone for a long time,” Hensley said. “Our only hope is that someone comes and helps them because after a while you get tired of doing compressions, trying to get them to go back and forth. Keep doing it until the ambulance gets here.”

Hensley is a registered nurse and explains why CPR is effective.

“It’s proven to be 95 percent effective. I know we’re getting the blood flowing to the brain and the organs and we’re getting air in, which we need; so it helps.”

Hensley said he is certified in CPR, visit the American Red Cross website. There are four hours of online training and four hours in person on a mannequin.

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