Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a life-saving technique used when a person’s heart stops beating or they stop breathing. By maintaining blood circulation until professional medical help arrives, CPR can delay brain damage and dramatically improve survival rates.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, performing CPR can increase a cardiac arrest patient’s survival rate by 1.7 times and brain recovery rate by 2.2 times compared to doing nothing.

Recent incidents have shown its importance—such as in Gwangyang, where a collapsed marathon runner regained consciousness within five minutes thanks to quick CPR from a nearby spectator.

The two-hour training was led by the safety education instructors from the Gwangyang Fire Station. The medical team covered:

Participants practiced on individual CPR mannequins, learning how to check responsiveness, call emergency services, perform effective chest compressions, and use an AED. The repetitive, realistic practice helped build confidence and readiness.

One participant shared:-

“I have always been troubled by the fact that my grandmother was found collapsed on the street in the past but passed away because she did not receive proper first aid,” adding, “I focused on this training so that I can perform accurate cardiopulmonary resuscitation when an emergency occurs around me.”

Another, who received first aid training in the military and at work, said, “It was even more beneficial because I was able to receive training on CPR and AEDs for infants and children as well as adults.”