By Katherine Glosser

Staff Writer

NASHUA – Counts have a rhythm to them, one and two, like steps in a dance. A well-choreographed number can appear flawless and breathe life into any performance.

On Thursday, several area residents learned how to take the one-two cadence of rescue breathing in five repeat cycles to perform the life-saving skill of CPR.

Participants gathered at Arlington Community Center for an American Red Cross class to attain certification in Adult Pediatric CPR/AED. Red Cross Instructor Don Poutry had a key partner with him, his demonstration manikin, Larry.

Poutry explained Larry is equipped with a plastic lung. When someone performs CPR correctly, air fills Larry’s lungs, causing his chest to rise and mimicking life. A fake defibrillator, which is used to “shock” the heart back into rhythm, would be attached to the medical manikin. The manikin is computerized and lights up in red to represent blood flow to the body and brain. It also gives the person performing CPR verbal instructions.

Students attached the defibrillator pads to the Larry’s torso, and their training/certification process becomes a hands-on experience.

“Begin five cycles of CPR,” the manikin instructs, as the students engage their technique.

In addition to interacting with the manikin, students received training via different videos. Some of the training scenarios involved a person passing out at a parking lot, an infant choking on food, a child passing out, and a cook accidentally cutting herself with a knife. The instructor said the goal is to equip participants with the life-saving knowledge to assist in an emergency by providing CPR or basic first aid, until emergency medical professionals could take over care.

According to the American Heart Association, 475,000 Americans die from cardiac arrest each year. Heart attacks cause more death globally “than colorectal cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, influenza, pneumonia, auto accidents, HIV, firearms and house fires combined,” the AHA reports.

According to 2014 AHA data, 45 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims survive when immediately receiving CPR from a bystander. Most victims experience heart attacks in a public setting. For 46 percent of those who experience a heart attack outside of the hospital, they don’t receive the immediate help they need before emergency assistance arrives, a statistic Poutry hopes to change.

Poutry, who has been teaching this class since 1992, said he has been CPR certified since the late ’50s early ’60s. Poutry said there aren’t as many people taking these types of classes as there should be.

Poutry said the class at Arlington Community Center can accommodate 12 people. However, only seven attended Thursday’s session. Poutry said CPR classes make an impact, and he wished more people would take the time to become certified. The choice to do so could save a life someday, he said.

“If they do it right, they stand a good chance of maybe saving somebody, and more often than not, the person they are going to save is gonna be somebody in their own family,” he explained.

In order to attend the class, a person has to complete and pass an online course. The course goes through different medical scenarios – around 22. Once completed, the student gets a certificate. The next step is coming to the physical class. Student Adrianna Kwapien said the course takes about an hour and a half, worth the brief investment of time.

Kwapien, who is a trainer for Silver Sneakers, said she took this course to be recertified in CPR, a skill she has maintained for nearly 30 years. Kwapien says she has to be re-certified every two years two remain current and enjoyed Thursday’s class.

“The renewal was quick and easy, and the instructor was knowledgeable, so it was great,” Kwapien said.

Preschool teacher Regina Kuo also attended the class. Kuo said the instructor was engaging and so was the online course. Completing the class, she said, reassured her of her skills.

“It gives me assurance I can handle an emergency situation,” she noted.

Kristin Hallee, who also is a preschool teacher, said the course she took was helpful and made her more confident in her life-saving abilities.

“I think everybody should learn (CPR) in order to be able to help somebody, because you never know when an emergency could happen,” said Hallee.

The next CPR/AED class at Arlington Community Center will be take place from 9 a.m to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 12, and the center is located at 36 Arlington St. in Nashua.