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Emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere, and even the most basic education can turn a bystander into a life-saving neighbor, friend or family member.
UPMC in Northcentral Pa. recently teamed up with the City of Williamsport, Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce and the Lycoming County United Way to launch UPMC's Minutes Matter as a way to save lives in the region, according to a recent press release.
"It only takes a few minutes for a bleeding emergency to be fatal and only about one in 10 people survive cardiac arrest," said Tony Bixby, Susquehanna Regional EMS chief and director of Prehospital Services, UPMC in North Central Pa.
"While trained professionals are often only minutes away, what bystanders do and how they respond in those early minutes can greatly increase the odds of survival," Bixby said. "This initiative is something close to our team as it's our way of helping the community help us to save lives. The more we spread the word, the greater the opportunity that a bystander at an emergency event in our community will know how to respond."
UPMC's Minutes Matter empowers bystanders by not only teaching how to respond to common, life-threatening emergencies related to opioid overdose, mental health crisis, cardiac arrest and uncontrolled bleeding, but also how to act and use an AED, Narcan or a tourniquet, as well as how to administer effective CPR.
For more information on how you can get involved with the program, visit MinutesMatter.UPMC.com.