'Miracle in 4 Minutes'... Nowon-gu Expands 'Regular CPR Training'

[Seoul District News] Approximately 160,000 Cumulative Students & Recent CPR Training Reservations Increase Over 10 Times, Weekday Morning · Afternoon · Night, Saturday Lectures & Established First Permanent CPR Training Center Nationwide in 2012, Over 20,000 Trained Annually

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Nowon-gu (District Mayor Oh Seung-rok) is expanding and implementing the "Ongoing Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Training," which has surpassed a cumulative total of 160,000 trainees.

Recently, interest in CPR training has been intense. The reservation rate for CPR training, which the district operates continuously, has increased about tenfold compared to before, with more than 100 people applying for training daily, leading to a continuous stream of inquiries related to the training.

According to a survey on sudden cardiac arrest released by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, over the past five years, the survival rate of patients increased 2.4 times when CPR was performed by laypersons during sudden cardiac arrest incidents. However, to take appropriate action within the so-called golden time of 4 minutes during emergencies, regular training is essential.

Recognizing the importance of CPR training, the district enacted an ordinance on CPR training in March 2012 and established the nation’s first permanent CPR training center on the first floor of the annex building of the district office, a highly accessible location, where training has been conducted.

Starting with weekday classes, the CPR training has been expanded to include children’s classes, weekend classes, and evening classes to allow more residents to participate. The district also actively promotes CPR by operating CPR experience booths at its representative festivals and various events.

To date, approximately 160,000 people have completed the district’s ongoing CPR training. Not only legally mandated trainees but also many general residents have received training. Except for a brief suspension during the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 20,000 people complete the training annually on average.

As a result of active promotion and continuous training, the rate of CPR performed by laypersons in Nowon-gu, which was only 10.1% in 2015, steadily increased to 29% in 2020. There have been visible achievements, such as cases where public officials who completed the training saved colleagues’ lives through prompt emergency treatment.

Currently, classes are held on weekdays (10 a.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m.), Wednesday evenings (7 p.m.), and Saturdays (10 a.m.). The approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes sessions teach CPR, use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and emergency airway obstruction treatment methods.

Individuals or groups wishing to attend can check available dates by phone or on the Nowon-gu Health Center website and make reservations in advance.

Considering the recent increase in demand for CPR training and that most reservations are fully booked until the end of the year, the district has expanded the evening classes from once a month to weekly and the Saturday classes from twice a month to weekly, increasing the number of trainees per session from 23 to 30 to accommodate more people.

The district plans to further strengthen training by not only continuing classes at the training center but also operating mobile experience booths regularly to encourage ongoing interest and participation from residents.

Additionally, Nowon-gu possesses the largest number of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) among Seoul’s autonomous districts, with 875 units. The district has continuously supported various facilities with devices and consumables through ongoing distribution projects.

In particular, in March, 47 additional AEDs were installed in parks and walking trails frequently used by residents to prepare for emergencies outdoors. To maintain device performance, outdoor storage boxes with temperature and humidity control functions were constructed, and solar-powered storage boxes were developed and installed to operate in locations without electricity.

The locations of AEDs within the district can be checked on the Nowon-gu Health Center website, blog, and emergency medical information app. The district will continue to promote awareness so residents can quickly locate and use the devices.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, stated, “CPR is the most basic and reliable method to save the lives of family members and neighbors in emergency situations,” adding, “We will continue to strengthen education and promotional projects related to CPR to improve residents’ ability to respond to emergencies.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.