LOS ANGELES, June 3, 2025 — The American Heart Association today unveiled the first mobile Hands-Only CPR training kiosk in Los Angeles County, providing residents with the opportunity to learn the lifesaving skill in minutes. The event coincided with National CPR and AED Awareness Week, an annual observance that highlights how lives can be saved if more people know how to perform CPR and use an AED, or automated external defibrillator.
Sponsored by Providence Saint John’s Health Center, the mobile Hands-Only CPR kiosk will initially be placed at the Santa Monica hospital where patients and their families can learn lifesaving Hands-Only CPR. In addition to the mobile kiosk, the Association, with support from Providence, also operates a stationary kiosk at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX, which reaches about 14,000 people annually.
“A few minutes of instruction can save a life. We see it over and over again in our emergency departments – patients who suffered cardiac arrest and were saved by loved ones or bystanders who stepped up to apply CPR or to use an AED,” said Michael Ricks, the hospital’s chief executive. “We’re honored to work with the American Heart Association to teach the public how to use these techniques and save lives.”
Every year, more than 350,000 people suffer cardiac arrests outside of the hospital and 90% of them do not survive in part because they do not receive CPR. In fact, only about 46% of people who experience cardiac arrest receive CPR from people nearby while waiting for emergency responders to arrive.
According to the American Heart Association, about 70% of cardiac arrests happen at home, so the odds are high the person who needs CPR will be a family member or friend.
CPR is a critical skill that anyone can learn. It can double or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival, especially if performed immediately.
“Bringing the mobile Hands-Only CPR training kiosk to our community is a major step toward our goal of creating a community of lifesavers in Los Angeles,” said Ed Romano, chairman, American Heart Association Los Angeles Board of Directors. “By equipping more people with the skills and confidence to act in a cardiac emergency, we’re giving them the tools to save lives when every second counts.”
The American Heart Association created the Nation of Lifesavers initiative in an effort to double cardiac arrest survival rates by 2030 through various approaches, including placing Hands-Only mobile and stationary CPR training kiosks in communities across the country.
The Hands-Only CPR kiosk has a touch screen with a video that provides a brief overview, followed by a practice session and a 30-second test. With the help of a practice manikin, the kiosk gives feedback on the depth and rate of compressions and proper hand placement – factors that influence CPR effectiveness. The training, offered in English and Spanish, takes about five minutes.
The two simple steps of Hands-Only CPR are: if a bystander sees a teen or adult collapse, first call 9-1-1. Then push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the beat of “Stayin’ Alive,” which has 100 beats per minute (bpm), the minimum rate one should push on the chest during Hands-Only CPR.
Learn more about CPR and join the Nation of Lifesavers at heart.org/nation.
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About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than 100 years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, on Facebook, Instagram and X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.
Media inquiries:
Kristine Kelly, kristine.kelly@heart.org
Public Inquiries:
1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721), heart.org and stroke.org
