IRVINE, Calif., February 14, 2025 — Every year, more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of the hospital, and more than 20 percent occur in public places like airports and sporting facilities. The American Heart Association and Edwards Lifesciences Foundation debuted a new mobile Hands-Only CPR kiosk which will help users understand how they can immediately help a person experiencing a cardiac emergency outside of a hospital.

The mobile kiosk, the first of its kind on the West Coast, features a touch screen with a video program that provides a brief introduction and overview of Hands-Only CPR, followed by a practice session and a 30-second test session. With the help of a practice manikin, the kiosk gives feedback about the depth and rate of compressions and proper hand placement – factors that influence the effectiveness of CPR. The entire training takes five minutes or less.

“Cardiac arrest remains a leading cause of death in the United States, and survival depends on immediately receiving CPR from someone nearby,” said Todd Brinton, MD, FACC, Corporate Vice President, Advanced Technology and Chief Scientific Officer. “Edwards Lifesciences is proud to bring the Hands-Only CPR training kiosk to Orange County providing free training that can make a difference and save lives.” 

The kiosk will remain at Edwards Lifesciences’ corporate headquarters where their 5,000 employees and visitors will have an opportunity to learn this lifesaving skill. In the coming months, the kiosk will be moved to other high traffic areas in Orange County. Over the next three years, the mobile kiosk will be placed in 9 locations in Orange County. 

The ribbon cutting ceremony was held in coordination with a CPR training which allowed more than 1,000 employees to learn how to administer Hands-Only CPR. The mobile kiosk and training are part of the Association’s goal to improve cardiac arrest outcomes by 2030 by having at least one person in every household prepared to perform CPR.

“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 Pranav M. Patel, M.D., American Heart Association Orange County/Inland Empire Board President and Chief, Division of Cardiology, UC Irvine. “Bystander CPR, especially if administered immediately, can double or triple a cardiac arrest 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, people will learn a skill that can potentially make a difference in the lives of friends and those they love.”

The two simple steps of Hands-Only CPR are: if a bystander sees a teen or adult collapse, he or she should 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 Bee Gees’ song has the minimum rate you should push on the chest during Hands-Only CPR.

“The kiosk will help the public understand how simple it is to perform the two steps of Hands-Only CPR, which will hopefully help reduce some of the trepidation that people have about performing bystander CPR,” said Amanda Fowler, Vice President, Global Corporate Giving, Edwards Lifesciences and Executive Director, Edwards Lifesciences Foundation. “After completing the kiosk training, we hope people will feel empowered knowing they are taking the first steps in learning a critical skill.”

To learn more about the Hands-Only CPR campaign and learn how to save a life, visit www.heart.org/handsonlycpr 

###

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 one hundred 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, Facebook, Instagram and X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1. 

For Media Inquiries:

Daniel Ruacho, daniel.ruacho@heart.org or 480-773-2355

Public Inquiries:
1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721), heart.org and stroke.org