On Tuesday, September 22, Stamford High School students received the opportunity to learn hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), a way to help reduce the almost 900,000 people who die every year due to cardiac arrest or heart attacks.  The organization Hands for Life taught students how to use a defibrillator and perform hands-only CPR.

Dr. Tom Nero, a cardiologist, is the founder of the Hands for Life program. “The goal is to train everybody in Stamford how to do CPR so that no one goes without getting CPR when they have a cardiac arrest,” Nero said.

The Hands for Life team is traveling to all the middle and high schools in Stamford to train both students and teachers on how to perform hands-only CPR.

Students responded positively to this training.  Junior Daniel Altamura said, “I think it was very important for everyone to get trained because you never know when you’re going to be in a situation where you need to use these skills to possibly save a life.”

The Hands for Life organization started in 2009 and has continued to grow ever since.  They have trained nearly 10,000 people in Stamford, New Canaan, Darien, and the surrounding communities.  In 2012, Hands for Life set a world record for most people trained in hands-only CPR at Chelsea Piers Stamford.  The organization plans to train over 10,000 people this Saturday, September 26 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Westhill High School.  The training is free and only takes 15 minutes.