Lanai Community Learns to Save Lives While Humming Bee Gees Tune

Passers-by at Dole Park on July 25 might have thought they were in an outdoor disco as the 70’s Bee Gee’s hit “Staying Alive” played on the loudspeakers. But it was a far cry from a throwback party. Instead, Lanai residents were being trained on the American Heart Association’s hands-only CPR technique that uses the beat of the iconic song to guide the 100 chest compressions a minute –with no mouth to mouth resuscitation – to save lives.

James Kimmel, a Lanai-based emergency medical technician, led the CPR instruction, assisted by registered nurse Valerie Janikowski and Captain Jonathan Preza of the Maui Fire Department and his team. The volunteers showed residents how to administer proper CPR compressions on “Mini Anne” and “Baby Anne” blow-up dolls.

Participants learned that CPR can be administered easily, and that any form of CPR is better than none at all. While 92 percent of heart attack victims die before reaching the hospital, CPR can double or triple the victim’s chance for survival.

Volunteers and members of Pulama Lanai’s Community Development team distributed more than 40 AHA Friends and Family and Infant CPR kits to moviegoers in Dole Park. The AHA CPR kits can be shared with friends, families and neighbors so more people can learn this lifesaving technique.

Pulama Lanai is hosting a challenge from July 25 to Aug. 22 to encourage individuals and families to learn hands-only CPR. Each kit that was distributed contains one dozen heart cards that should be filled out once a family completes the training at home. Turn in the CPR-awareness hearts at Richard’s Market through Aug. 22 and each trained family will be entered into a lucky drawing for a $500 Richard’s Market gift card. The winning family will be selected at the Lanai Community Health Fair on August 23. Extra “hearts” are available at Richard’s.