The toddler was then evaluated at a local hospital and released a few hours later in good health. The family was spared the loss of a precious life, the county had one less tragic statistic, and all because the high school student had cardiopulmonary resuscitation training. Every year, over 2 million Americans are hospitalized as a result of an injury, and over 142,000 of those individuals die.
Millions more die from sudden illnesses, such as heart attack and stroke.
Sadly, many of these deaths occur because no one knew the appropriate, immediate action to take. Recognizing an emergency, and taking action in the first few minutes can mean the difference between death and full recovery. People need to identify an emergency situation, to react calmly, and to respond accordingly. In year 1999 there were 54 drowning related deaths in Broward County. Mortality statistics for Florida reveal drowning as the leading cause of death for children under five years of age.